Mitsubishi Materials Co., a non-ferrous metals company with roots in coal mining, has set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by fiscal 2050 through geothermal power.

The company plans to build a new geothermal plant every three years, generating electricity by harnessing underground water or steam heated by magma.

As a first step, a company subsidiary brought the Appi geothermal power plant in Iwate Prefecture online in spring this year.

Steam rises near a national forest at an elevation of 1,100 meters, about a 30-minute drive up a narrow mountain road from the center of the Appi Kogen resort in Hachimantai in the prefecture.

At the Appi plant, steam is extracted from a well 2,000 meters deep to drive the turbines.

With a generation capacity of 15,000 kilowatts, the plant produces enough electricity to power 26,000 households.

This electricity is sold to Tohoku Electric Power Network Co., which offsets the amount Mitsubishi Materials needs to buy and effectively increases the company’s self-sufficiency.

Naoki Ono, president of Mitsubishi Materials, emphasized the importance of this project during the plant’s inauguration ceremony held on July 17.

“This is a crucial step toward achieving carbon neutrality in our domestic operations by fiscal 2050,” he said.

Mitsubishi Materials produces high-purity copper, which is essential for electric wires and electric vehicles. Its domestic facilities smelt copper mined in Chile and Canada, a process that requires a large amount of electricity.

The company aims to meet all of its electricity needs with renewable energy by fiscal 2050, with around 70 percent coming from geothermal power.

Its first geothermal power plant started operating in Akita Prefecture half a century ago.

Leveraging the geological survey expertise gained from its early mining operations, the company has generated some of the electricity used in its mines and smelting plants.

After years of stagnation, the 2011 Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant disaster put the focus back on renewable energy. The 2012 feed-in-tariff system then made geothermal energy financially viable.

The Appi plant is Mitsubishi Materials’ fourth geothermal power plant and brings its total generation capacity to around 120,000 kilowatts. This makes it Japan’s third-largest geothermal energy producer, following Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Tohoku Electric Power Co.

The company is also studying potential geothermal sites in Hokkaido, Akita and Fukushima prefectures.

JAPAN’S UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

With its many volcanos, Japan is rich in geothermal resources, particularly in the Hokkaido, Tohoku and Kyushu regions.

The country ranks third in the world in geothermal potential, following the United States and Indonesia.

However, Japan’s track record in geothermal development ranks around 10th, trailing the Philippines and Turkey.

The Japanese government is supporting geothermal development through a feed-in-tariff system and eased development restrictions in national and quasi-national parks.

Geothermal development in Japan depends on building good relationships with local governments and hot spring operators.

Hachimantai city, where the Appi geothermal power plant is located, is also home to the Matsukawa geothermal power plant, which began commercial operations in 1966.

Hot water produced from the steam has long been supplied to local hot springs and agricultural facilities.

“We would like to attract companies to our area by showcasing environmentally friendly electricity, such as that from the Appi plant,” Hachimantai Mayor Takahiro Sasaki said.

However, some local governments, including Beppu in Oita Prefecture and Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture, have adopted ordinances to limit geothermal development that could affect hot springs.

The Japan Onsen Association also opposes “unregulated geothermal development,” insisting that such projects be conditioned on agreements with local communities and compensation for any resulting damage.

“We need to make effective use of our domestic geothermal energy before becoming reliant on imported fuels like uranium and natural gas,” said Anna Suzuki, an associate professor at Tohoku University who is well versed in geothermal power.

“For sustainable development, it’s essential to hold talks with local communities and to take a flexible approach, rather than just sticking to predetermined plans,” she said.