Local News

A ryokan, or Japanese-style inn, in Yufuin, Oita Prefecture, will generate electricity using the hot springs on the site using a 70 kW generator that went on sale last fall from Kobe Steel. They plan to begin operation of the system in December. They also plan to sell some of the power generated to Kyushu Electric Power under the system for the sale of renewable energy at a fixed cost to begin in July. Kobe Steel says that if the power is sold at 20 yen per kW, they could recover the costs by 2015.