As the Renewable Energy and New Business Division of the Chubu Electric Power Group, C Energy Co.,
Ltd. helps to resolve our customers’ environmental business issues and improve their corporate
branding. C Energy has been involved since 2015 in the development of the Chubu region’s first
geothermal power plant using the flash power generation method, a project for which support is being
provided by the ASAHI YUKIZAI GROUP company in charge of our water treatment and natural resources
development, Drico Co., Ltd. Leveraging the technological capabilities developed during the 70 years
since our founding, Drico is providing back-up for C Energy’s thermal power development. We asked
Kazuya Nishimura and Masaki Matsuzaki from the Renewable Energy and New Business Division to tell us
more about how Drico is supporting their development of geothermal power.
Our First Encounter with Drico and Its Astounding Technological Capabilities
In 2015, it was decided that C Energy would take part in planning the development of a 2,000
kW-level geothermal power plant. Our first encounter with Drico was at the very start of the project
as it was the company contracted with the well drilling.
Our company has less experience in geothermal power generation than in thermal or hydroelectric
power generation, however at the explanatory meeting about their quote, we were strongly impressed
by how Drico’s technological capabilities were much better than those of their competitors. One case
in point concerns the specifications for the casing to protect excavated wells. In response to the
casing specifications we requested, the Drico representative made a firm promise to utilize
technologies that process the high-intensity materials used in oil wells, and to improve durability
and reduce maintenance costs.
This is just one example, but we confirmed that they possessed other technologies of a world-class
standard and I remember thinking that it would be Drico who we asked to do the well drilling! Of
course Drico also worked really hard on their bid, but the real clinchers were their superb
technological capabilities, the trust they inspired, and their attitude of taking onboard the most
up-to-date knowledge available.
Overall view of a geothermal drilling rig
A Model Case of the Prosperous Coexistence of Hot Springs and Geothermal Power Generation
When geothermal power resources are developed in Japan, in almost all cases there are hot spring
districts in the vicinity of the proposed excavation site. When the local people hear about thermal
power generation, they immediately worry that drilling a geothermal well will cause the hot springs
to dry up. That is why geothermal development surveys require the consent of the local community,
and there are cases where even a survey is made impossible due to a lack of that consent. And even
if the understanding of the locals has been gained, they are very sensitive to matters such as the
noise which then accompanies the work or the unresponsive attitude of the people doing the work. It
is therefore essential to build and maintain a relationship of mutual trust with the local
community.
During the drilling work, the Drico representatives stationed to work on site also demonstrated a
real commitment to building relationships of mutual trust with the people who live in the area. For
example, when they heard that a local hot spring well didn’t seem to be functioning as it should,
they rushed to the scene and helped to resolve the issue. They helped to maintain and improve our
relationship of mutual trust with the local community by engaging in that kind of considerate and
conscientious communication. Each time we visited the site, we could see for ourselves the fruits of
Drico’s employee training, developed during their many years of experience digging wells all over
Japan.
The project we are talking about was a scheme that achieved the mutually beneficial coexistence of
hot springs and geothermal power generation; it separated the hot water and steam acquired from the
geothermal well, supplying the former to the neighboring hot spring districts in the form of hot
spring water, and utilizing the latter to generate electricity. Going forward, C Energy intends to
use it as a model case for our new geothermal power generation projects.
Steam spouting from the geothermal well (left) and hot spring water supplied from the
geothermal well (right)
Aiming to Popularize Eco-Energy
Although Japan boasts the world’s third largest supply of geothermal resources, only around 2% of
that is currently utilized to generate electricity. The government is now hammering out policies to
triple that figure by 2030, and we regard this project as just a first step.
We intend to build upon that context and, based on the “proactive use of unutilized renewable
energy” that our company promotes and Drico’s stated ethos of “making a positive contribution to the
environment and people’s daily lives via the development of renewable energy sources,” we intend to
continue with collaborations aiming to popularize geothermal energy.
Furthermore, we intend to forge ahead aggressively with collaborations in areas such as services
related to the water treatment technologies in which Drico excels, and to persevere in popularizing
the “eco-friendly energy” that is a core concept of both our companies.
