Toward SDGs from Nagasaki University, Japan

Research and Education Activities in Asian
Environmental Resilience Research Center (AERRC),Nagasaki University, Japan

Contents
1. Introduction to AERRC
2. Shimabara Peninsula Eco-Challenge (SPEC)
3. Hot Spring Power Generation Projectat Obama-onsen (hot spring)1. Introduction to AERRC

The primary mission of AERRC is to develop a resiliencemodel for a future local society that is in symbiosis withthe environment.
AERRC Organization Chart

Asian Environmental Resilience
Research Center (AERRC)
Steering Committee(11 members)

Social environmental
system researchdivision

Environmental
education researchdivisionHistory before the AERRC establishment(Activities in cooperation with local communities)
2007
AprilThe partnership agreement on the environmental education and researchis concluded among Faculty of Environmental Science of Nagasaki
University, Environment department of Nagasaki prefecture and Unzen City.
Unzen E-camlage program (Unzen eco-campus and eco-village program) islaunched.

2007

Hot Spring Power Generation Project at Obama-onsen is launched.

Unzen City
Nagasaki Univ.

Signing ceremony (April 27, 2007)
Shimabara PeninsulaUnzen E-camlage program (1)Training camp for new students at Unzen onsen (2008-)
Unzen
City
Nagasaki Univ. Unzen onsen

LectureGroup discussion

Elementary school destroyed by the pyroclastic flow
In 1991 (Former Obama elementary school)

Unzen E-camlage program (2)Practical activities with local residents

Rice planting

Biological reseach

Meeting with farmers

雲仙田代原・保全活動
Mochi pounding event

Beach cleaning &investigation of marine litter

Agricultural experience6Unzen E-camlage program (3)Nagasaki Univ.

Unzen
City

Obama onsen

Unzen onsen

Landscape survey at Obama onsen

Obama onsen binary power station(Obama onsen power generation project)

SymposiumLow-carbon town development and regionalrevitalization （2011～2013、2016）

Unzen E-camlage program (4)Lecture room

Exhibition room

Unzen E-camlage Exchange Center (Obama town, Unzen City)

2015
AugustThe comprehensive partnership agreement is concluded between Nagasaki
University and three cities (Unzen, Shimabara, Minami-Shimabara) in the
Shimabara Peninsula.

Shimabara Pen.
Nagasaki Univ.

Signing ceremony (August 12, 2015)

Unzen City
Shimabara City
Minami-Shimabara City

Medium-term Plan of Nagasaki University (2016-2021)
Strategy III: Contribution of knowledge for regional revitalizationAs a university based in the region, we become the driving force forregional revitalization by returning the results of education andresearch to the local communities.
・ Developing local human resources
・ Local industry support through industry - academia - government
collaboration
・ Improvement of local retention rate of job seekers
・ Solution of various regional issues

10History toward the AERRC establishment(Activities in cooperation with local communities)
2007
April

The partnership agreement on the environmental education and researchis concluded among Faculty of Environmental Science of Nagasaki
University, Environment department of Nagasaki prefecture and Unzen City.
Unzen E-camlage program (Unzen eco-campus and eco-village program) islaunched.

2007

Hot Spring Power Generation Project at Obama-onsen is launched.

2015
AugustThe comprehensive partnership agreement is concluded between
Nagasaki University and three cities (Unzen, Shimabara, MinamiShimabara) in the Shimabara Peninsula.

2016
April

Medium-term Plan of Nagasaki University is launched.
Asian Environmental Resilience Research Center (AERRC) is formed inGraduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences.
Shimabara peninsula eco-challenge (SPEC) is launched.

Medium-term Plan of Nagasaki University (2016-2021)

Shimabara Peninsula eco-challenge (SPEC)• Development of a resilience model for the Shimabara
Peninsula• Development of human resources who can operate
the model and contribute to the creation of a resilient

local community

Location of Shimabara Peninsula

Fukuoka City

ShimabaraPeninsula
Nagasaki
CityTokyo
Kyushu50km

Isahaya City

Shimabara Peninsula

Unzen City
Nagasaki City

ShimabaraCity（H27.3）

Minami-Shimabara
CityCity

Households Population

Unzen

15,376

44,115

Shimabara

17,06845,436

Minami-Shimabara

16,66446,535(2015）

Changes in the population and the number of households
in the Shimabara PeninsulaHouseholds

Population
19471960

1990

2020

Unzen Volcano
1990-1995 pyroclastic flow deposits

Mayuyama
Collapsed wall (1792)

Eastern view

Fugendake(Main peak)

1990-1995 lava dome

Unzen
Volcano1792 lave flow

Google10km
LandsatHheisei-shinzan(Unzen Volcano)Agriculture

Characteristics and issues of the Shimabara Peninsula (1)Tanabatake (Shelf fields)

Potato field before planting※The biggest agricultural zone in Nagasaki Prefecture
・Ratio of full-time farmers is 34%. (cf. 24% for whole Nagasaki Pref.)・Livestock industry （milk cow: 75.8%, hen’s egg：76.3% in the grosspref. products)
・Total production of agriculture accounts for 44.6% of Nagasaki Pref.

(2014)

Problems related to agriculture
・Ground water pollution by nitrate nitrogen

・Problem of animal waste treatment
・Field damage by animals

・Expansion of abandoned farmland
・Bad effects on crops caused air pollution

18

Natural disaster

Characteristics and issues of the Shimabara Peninsula (2)Volcanic disasters at Unzen Volcano
Year

Volume ofextruded lava

disasterdead1663

0.005km3Lava flow

Mud flow30

1792

0.02km3
Lava flow

Debris avalanche & Tsunami“the Shimabara Catastrophe”

ca.
15,0001990-1995

0.2km3
Lava dome

Pyroclastic flow

44

Shimabara Peninsula after the sector collapseof Mt. Mayu and tsunami in May 1792.
(Honkoji Temple in Shimabara City)

The 1792 Shimabara Catastrophe

Fugendake (Mt. Funge)
1990-1995 lava dome
Pyroclastic flow deposits

Mayuyama (Mt. Mayu)

1792

Shimabara City
Tsunami
Ariake Sea

Coastal line before 1792

The 1990-1995 eruption
Dome growth and pyroclastic flows (block-and-ash flows)
Lava domeCollapse of lava domeNatural disasters that can occur in the future• Large collapse of lava dome triggered by a bigearthquake. Depending on the scale, the collapsed
debris is expected to reach the sea.
• Heavy rain and debris flows• Weather disasters (typhoons, storm surges, etc.)

Lave dome

Debris flow (Lahar)
by heavy rain

Mt.MayuCharacteristics and issues of the Shimabara Peninsula (3)Renewable energy
Unzen City : Renewable Energy Potential(Wakeyama and Ehara, 2009)• Geothermal energy 45MW
• Wind energy 7.6MW• Solar energy 1.1MW• Hydropower 1.7MW

Total 55.4MW

If all of these were used, the electricity self-sufficiency
rate would be 827%.

Characteristics and issues of the Shimabara Peninsula (4)Tourism resources
Lava dome

Unzen (Nita pass)

Remains of Hara Castle

Remains of Hara Castle(World Cultural Heritage)

・First national park in Japan (1934)
・First UNESCO global Geopark in Japan(The Unzen volcanic area global Geopark) (2009)
・Remains of Hara Castle was certified in the World Cultural
Heritage “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region” (2018)

Number of trippers to Obama onsen and Unzen onsen
1,800,000

The foot spa opened
at Obama onsen

1,600,000
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000

600,000
400,000

Eruption of Unzen Volcano
Certified asa Global Geopark

200,000

1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

0

日帰り客数

Number of day visitors

宿泊者数

Number of hotel guests

What’s a Geopark?
A Geopark is a defined region where geologic heritage sites are managed
under the concept of “protection, education and sustainable development”(UNESCO, 2010)

Main theme of the Unzen volcanic area global geopark

Coexistence of people and active volcano•••

A geopark which boasts an active volcano is very uniqueworldwide.
People living in the Shimabara Peninsula have coped repeatedly
with volcanic eruptions of Unzen.
People have made the best use of the blessings from the volcano.
http://www.unzen-geopark.jp/en-firstFour research units in Shimabara Peninsula
eco-challenge (SPEC)
Environmental pollution unit

Natural disaster unit
Energy unit
Human resource
development unit・Acquisition of regional resilience
・Regional revitalization

Environmental pollution unit
• Purification and recovery of water resources contaminated byagriculture• Understanding the actual situation of transboundary air pollution
and studying the effects on living organisms and crops
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutritionand promote sustainable agriculture (Target 2.4)
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at
all ages (Target 3.9)
Ensure availability and sustainable management ofwater and sanitation for all (Target 6.3)
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns(Target 12.5)

Atmospheric observation station（Measurements of PM2.5）

The stations were installed at different altitudes from 20 m to 1300 m in theShimabara Peninsula (T. Nakayama et al., 2019).

Natural disaster unit
• Construction of natural disaster database (earthquakes, volcano,weather)• Construction of an adaptive governance model for disaster risk

Chijiwa Fault

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilientand sustainable (Target 11.b)
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts(Target 13.1)

Energy unit
• Continuous hot spring monitoring• Establishment of a protection and utilization model for geothermalenergy• Utilization of unused resources based on assessment of renewableenergy potential

Hot spring monitoring(Obama onsen)
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable andmodern energy for all(Target 7.2)
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns(Target 12.2)

Human resource development unit
• Establishing an educational program for the development of
human resources who can operate the resilience model andcontribute to the creation of a resilient local society

Field school

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education andpromote lifelong learning opportunities for all(Target 4.7)

Development of a resilience modelfor the Shimabara Peninsula

Environmental pollution
Air, water and soilpollution

Human resource development
Contribution to sustainabledevelopment

Sustainable agriculture

Recycling and reuse

EnergyRenewable energy(geothermal energy)

Natural disaster
Disaster risk
management model

Strengthen resilienceand adaptive capacity

Energy unit

3. Hot spring power generation project at
Obama-onsen (hot spring)

Unzen City
Nagasaki Univ.
Obama onsenGeothermal energy in Japan• Japan has the third largest geothermal resource in the world
following the US and Indonesia （20,540MW）.
• However, the amount of geothermal power generation is 10th in
the world.
• Main problems are cost performance, a national park problem,and confrontation between geothermal developers and hot springowners.
Merits of geothermal energy
・Stable regardless of weather
・Low CO2 emissions
・Pure domestic production
・Renewable resourceObama-onsen(1) There are approximately 30 spring sources along a 1500-m stretch of theseaside that produce about 15,000 tons of hot water per day at a temperaturearound 100℃.
(2) As almost all of the hot water is used only for bathing, about 70% of the hotwater is unused and is released into the sea.
(3) It is estimated that the untapped hot water and waste heat at Obama-onsen
have the power generation capacity of about 2,000 kilowatts.

Obama onsen

Unused hot water which isreleased into the sea.

Obama onsen: History of hot spring use anddevelopment plan
●1941-1961
Start of salt making business using hot spring water, more than 100
wells, consuming 40,000 to 50,000 tons per day.
As a result, Obama onsen was in danger of exhaustion.
●2003-2005
NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)
・Geothermal development promotion survey
Drilling survey 1500kW power generation plan
Drilling survey was canceled due to local opposition.
・Industrial technology development
250kW binary power generation demonstration test
Canceled after excavation of hot spring wellSalt manufacture during 1941-1961

1955

1987

Location of hot spring wells in 1955 (left) and 1987 (right) (Nagasaki Pref., 1988).

Purpose of the project
Global problems :Global warming
Exhaustion of fossil fuels
Promotion of renewable energy
Domestic energy problems :Increasing the self-sufficiency
rateStable energy supply
Decentralization of energy
supplyDistrust to nuclear energy
Local problems :A lot of unused hot spring water
Economic downturn
Population decrease and aging
Tourist decrease

Since the Obama-onsen has a high temperature, the local
residents have been struggling for a long time to lower thetemperature to 42 ℃ for bath use.
Beginning in 2007, we held discussions on binary power
generation using untapped hot water, among the local university,
the local communities, industry and local governments. In March2011, the Obama-onsen promotion conference for utilizing
geothermal energy was organized, aiming at realizing a low-carbon
hot spring area and revitalizing the town by using geothermalenergy.

Electric power generation
using untapped hot water

Reduction of CO2 emissions
Promotion of industry and job creation
Revitalization of the hot-spring area
Environmental and energy education

Obama-onsen promotion conference for
utilizing geothermal energy （Mar. 8, 2011)

Chronology
Abundant hot-spring water
Temperature around 100℃
15,000 tons of hot water per day
About 70% of the hot water is untapped

History of geothermal use and development
Salt manufacture in 1941-1961→ crisis of drying up of the wells
Electric power generation project by NEDO in 2003-2005→ canceled by the local opposite

Discussions on binary power generation using untapped hot water (2007-)the Great East
Japan Earthquake(March 11, 2011)

Subsidy (Challenge 25)
provided by theMinistry of theEnvironment

Establishment of the Obama-onsen promotion conference
for utilizing geothermal energy (March 8, 2011)

Establishment of General incorporated association,
Obama-onsen energy (May 18, 2011)

Discussions (2007-).

Demonstration experiment of binary-cycle power generation(2013.3-）

Commercial operation by a private company (2015-)

Ceremony of the start of thedemonstration experimentProcess of binary-cycle power generation①make hot water by the heat of the hot-spring water②evaporate the low-boiling-point liquid with hot water③generate power by turning the turbine with power from the steam④cool the gas return to a liquid

Inside of the Obama-onsen binarycycle power station.

Binary power generation is a method of turning turbines with steam that is heated and evaporated
by a heat resource using a liquid with a lower boiling temperature than water. First, this power station
conducts heat exchange between the tap water and spring water, and then the tap water that has
been warmed is sent to the power generator as a heat source. Highly secured CFC substitutes arebeing used for the lower-boiling-temperature liquid.
The binary-cycle power generation using hot spring water is environmentally friendly because it
doesn‘t emit CO2 and may permanently be used as a renewable energy. After the Obama-onsen
binary-cycle power station started to work, it was included in a course of geo-tour in the Obamaonsen area. Also, it has been used practically for the environmental and energy education.

Summary of the Obama-onsen hot spring power generation project(1)Obama-onsen is a volcanic hot spring with a heat source that comes from theunderground magma of Unzen volcano.
(2)There are approximately 30 spring sources that produce about 15,000 tons of
hot water per day at a temperature around 100℃.
(3)About 70% of the hot water is untapped and is released into the sea.
(4)In the past, excess pumping for the salt manufacture brought a crisis of drying
up of the wells.
(5)Obama-onsen project was started by cooperation among the local university,
the local communities, industry and local governments, aiming at realizing alow-carbon hot spring area and revitalizing the town by using geothermalenergy.
(6)In 2013, a demonstration plant of hot spring power generation was installed,
supported by a subsidy (Challenge 25) of the Ministry of the Environment.
Since 2015, the plant has been operated in business by a private company.