japan Archives – The Green Optimistic

Japanese Thermoelectric Generator Yields Record Efficiency

Arsenij Percov — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 19:33:37 +0000

Nowadays we can notice that a lot of devices and objects we use daily are becoming smarter every day. We can see this trend with speakers, refrigerators, watches, bulbs, and even cars. They connect to the internet and share data with other items, creating the network called the Internet of Things (IoT). Therefore, the idea […]

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Why So Many People Died In Japan During Typhoon Maria

Arsenij Percov — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 20:20:40 +0000

Western Japan was hit by a severe weather disaster caused by Typhoon Maria just a few days ago. Torrential rains triggered deadly floods and landslides, causing at least 176 deaths and forcing millions of people to evacuate. However, the number is not final since dozens are in a critical condition and even more people are […]

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Japan’s Emissions Slightly Rise, But Not From Nuclear Shutdown

Courtney Lepping — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 08:42:06 +0000

The earthquake that terrorized Japan in 2011 led to the shutdown of nuclear energy. There was an increase in CO2 emissions by 11.8 percent from 2010 to 2014. Could the reported increase be caused by the shutdown after the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant disaster? Sources claim the rise in emissions wasn’t much of a rise at […]

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Toyota Plant Uses Hydrogen to Reduce Emissions

Courtney Lepping — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 20:37:24 +0000

The Miyata Plant of Toyota Motor Kyushu has exciting plans for the use of hydrogen in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. With the incorporation of solar and wind energy as the initiation of a project by of Fukuoka Prefecture, Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc, Kyuden Technosystems Corp and Toyota Tsusho Corp, it is expected that carbon dioxide […]

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Japan Prepares New Non-nuclear Energy Plan

Courtney Lepping — Sat, 28 May 2016 09:21:17 +0000

Japan is going to release an energy plan next year that shifts away from nuclear power but may lead to a greater dependence on coal-fired power plants. The proposed change was predictable. Japanese individuals oppose nuclear power because of the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Attempts by the pro-nuclear industry ministry to provide the country with more […]

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Solar Power Plants Replace Abandoned Japanese Golf Courses

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 06:13:38 +0000

Japan has come up with an innovative way to use several abandoned golf courses. The courses were initially built during the ’80s when golf was extremely popular in the country. In 2015, the sport is losing fans, so much so that 40% less golf is being played in Japan than in the 1990’s. Kyocera has instead […]

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Better Catalytic Converters and More EV Charging Stations in Japan

Mila Luleva — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 20:01:16 +0000

The guys at Toyota, currently Japan’s best car manufacturer, are experimenting on reducing toxicity in car fumes, while trying to manage the incredible number of orders for their first hydrogen fuel-cell car. At the same time, Nissan, the country’s second best, is preparing to put up a big fight, betting on growing demand as infrastructure improves. […]

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Japan Builds Offshore Floating Windmill Farms off Fukushima Coast

Adele Hall — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 16:58:45 +0000

Japan is embarking on a quest for clean energy. Off the coast of Fukushima, Japan, twelve miles out to sea, floats a giant wind turbine that will generate enough electricity to power 1,700 homes. Additionally, the goal of this offshore project is to generate over 1 gigawatt of electricity from 140 wind turbines by 2020. […]

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After Fukushima Nuclear Disaster, Japan Moves toward Coal and Gas Power

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 01:16:43 +0000

In wake of Tokyo’s struggles with moving away from costly oil, Japan is planning to build 14 new gas and coal-fired power plants by the end of 2014. Two of the planned coal power plants will be finished by December, and the other 12 gas-fired plants will be completed during 2014. They will use liquefied […]

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Japan’s Hydrogen Fuel Infrastructure is World’s Most Advanced

Benji Jerew — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:20:26 +0000

As automakers gear up to release even limited numbers of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, perhaps the biggest struggle will be getting infrastructure in place. Electric vehicles have pretty much the same problem right now, with limited opportunities for fast charging on the road. Efforts are well under way, but this is mostly on the part […]

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Rare-Earth Metals Not So Rare in Mud off the Coast of Japan, Tokyo University

Benji Jerew — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:36:38 +0000

China pretty much has a chokehold on the market for rare-earth metals, but a recent discovery off the coast of Japan could offer some competition. Because of their unique chemical properties, rare-earth metals are important in the production of electronics and even hybrid and electric vehicles. Rare-earth metals are found around the world, but they […]

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“Flammable Ice” Deposits Help Japan Meet Energy Needs

Mila Luleva — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:07:24 +0000

Earlier this week, Japan announced that they were able to extract the so-called “flammable ice” gas from offshore methane hydrate deposits. Since the country is one of the biggest importers of gas, exploring such resource could be the key to resolving Japan’s energy problems. Flammable ice is a valuable replacement of oil and gas for […]

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Official: Japanese Government Thinks Emission Targets Too Difficult to Achieve, Backs Off

Mila Luleva — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:05:58 +0000

Top governmental officials in Japan are planning to reconsider the pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Yoshihide Suga, Chief Cabinet Secretary, stated that the target set in Tokyo in 2009 is too ambitious and difficult to achieve. The prime minister at the time, Yukio Hatoyama, has set the pledge right after the election victory if […]

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Japan’s Nuclear Program Still on Hold

Benji Jerew — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:49:25 +0000

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake in Northeastern Japan sparked a cascade of failures at the Fukishima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Three of the four reactors there suffered catastrophic meltdown and subsequent explosions, littering the landscape with radioactive fallout. Amid public outcry against nuclear power, all fifty of Japan’s nuclear plants were shut down. Eventually, […]

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Energy-Starved Japan Kicks Off Campaign to Battle Shortage

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:09:46 +0000

Japan implores citizens to band together to combat the national energy shortage. On Thursday, Japan debuted its ‘warmbiz’ energy-saving campaign, encouraging people to take energy measures during colder months. After 2011’s Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster, Japan is facing a significant nation-wide energy shortage, and all but two nuclear reactors are idle. Until the tsunami damage […]

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Japan’s Fossil Fuel Imports Raised by 40%, Emission Regulations Backing Down

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 18:51:08 +0000

Back in 2009, Japan told everybody that they’d reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent and would emit less than it did in 1990. And they would have done that by 2020. Now, the current prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, says that they’ll back down, having to use more coal to power up their plants. The […]

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Japan May Quit Nuclear, But not Soon, Minister Says

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:35:55 +0000

Although opinions among the Japanese are very different, the country’s economy minister’s Yukio Edano told Reuters in Paris that they will reduce the reliance on nuclear power, “but whether we are going to reduce it to zero is a separate issue.” Edano even mentioned that decisions like Germany’s to reduce nuclear power down to zero […]

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Japan Builds Offshore Floating Wind Farm Near Fukushima

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:47:38 +0000

The Japanese government has plans to build an off-shore floating wind farm near Fukushima, thus seeking to reduce its dependence on nuclear power and the associated dangers. “This is part of the government’s effort towards reconstructing the disaster area while promoting renewable energy,” said an official at the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy. “Building […]

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New Japanese Homes May Have to Install Rooftop Solar Panels

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:38:20 +0000

The Japanese who will want to build up a new home will probably be forced to install solar panels on their rooftops. Naoto Kan, the Japanese Prime Minister, is about to announce this intention at the G8 summit in Deauville, France.

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Japan to Continue Pursuing Nuclear Power, No Viable Alternatives Left

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:58:03 +0000

Even if the consequences had been among the ugliest since 1986's Chernobyl, if it's to think about it, the 40 year-old Fukushima nuclear plant survived a magnitude 9 earthquake, and was only affected by the tsunami - extreme conditions all over. A new interview with Hidehiko Nishiyama, a director general at Japan's trade ministry reveals the country's need for even more nuclear power.

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Using Zinc-Air Batteries to Charge Your Mobile Phone

Cristi — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:48:26 +0000

Based on Zinc-Air battery technology, a Japanese company called KFE, developed a power source for a portable phone charger.

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Mazda Makes Eco-Friendly Plastics from Biomass

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:09:20 +0000

Mazda Motor Corporation and Hiroshima University are researching together to develop a brand new "green" plastic material from cellulosic biomass. They want to use it in vehicles by 2013.

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Video: Japanese Magnetic Hybrid Motorbike

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:10:38 +0000

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What Does Nissan Do About Hybrid Cars?

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:37:41 +0000

Nissan has been building their Altima hybrid cars at their Smyrna, Tennessee plant, which has the capacity of building up to 50,000 vehicles. If demand for the Altima hybrid is great enough, Nissan may just offload some production of the traditional Altima cars to their plant in Canton, Mississippi. While Nissan may be a bit […]

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