Do Minna Denryoku’s power plants consider the local community and environment?

Minna Denryoku Power Procurement Policy

Minna Denryoku has direct contracts with renewable energy power plants nationwide, based on the concept of "face-to-face electricity" that connects electricity producers and users. In doing so, we place emphasis on whether there is a large burden on the natural environment and whether a good relationship has been built between the power plant and the area where it is built, and have set the following standards.

Requirements

Environment, Earth, and Ecosystem
1. Land modification: No large-scale land modification that may have an impact on the natural environment or ecosystem is involved.
2. Landslides: Sufficient consideration is given to ensure that power plant development does not lead to landslides.
3. Environmental management: Environmental management of wastewater, noise, pesticides, waste, etc. is carried out appropriately, and necessary information is disclosed.
4. Proper disposal: The disposal costs of the equipment after the power generation business is completed are secured, or there is an appropriate plan to secure them.
5. Forest development: For solar power plants, no forest development of more than 0.5 hectares is carried out for the installation of panels.
6. Fuel type: For biomass power plants, palm oil is not used. (This is because there are concerns about palm oil production, such as the destruction of tropical forests, the impact on wildlife, the human rights of workers, and the global warming impact of methane gas generated by peatland development.)
7. Fuel Origin: For biomass power plants, if imported fuel is used, the source of the fuel must be disclosed, and there must be no environmental destruction such as deforestation or human rights violations. (This item is due to concerns that the use of imported fuel by domestic biomass power plants may lead to deforestation overseas, but environmental destruction and human rights violations are also not acceptable for domestic fuel.)

Society/Humanity
8. Local Consensus: There are no major issues such as opposition movements by local residents, or they have already been resolved.
9. Consideration of human rights: There must be no human rights violations of workers and others in the development and operation of the power plant.
10. Compliance with laws and regulations: Laws and regulations must be complied with. For projects subject to environmental assessment, the procedures have been carried out and there are no problems.

Transparency/Visibility
11. Information Disclosure (Basic Information): The following basic information must be provided for posting on the Minna Denryoku website. Name of power plant, name of generator, address of power plant (at least to the city/ward/town/village level), power source type, output, date of start of commercial operation (at least until the year).

Recommendations

Environment/Earth/Ecosystem
12. Environmental conservation: Contributing to the conservation and restoration of the natural environment. We recommend that profits be returned to environmental conservation.

Society/Humanity
13. Social contribution: Contributing to society. We recommend that profits be returned to the local community and that visitors are welcome to visit the power plant.

Transparency/Visibility
14. Information disclosure (detailed information): Provide detailed information including images of the power plant for listing on the power plant list page of Minna Denryoku's website.

Target power plant

Power plants from which Minna Denryoku procures electricity derived from renewable energy power plants to supply to customers.

Exceptions to target power plants

1. Power plants under individual names: In order to protect privacy, they may be listed under a different name when listed on the Minna Denryoku website.

2. Small-scale power plants: Small-scale solar power plants with AC of less than 10kW, such as rooftop solar panels for homes, are not subject to this electricity procurement policy in terms of privacy protection and because they are expected to have a small impact on the environment and society. It is not mandatory to post on the Minna Denryoku website.

3. Power plants before commercial operation: Not subject to this power procurement policy as they are not disclosed due to commercial practices. It is not mandatory to post on the Minna Denryoku website.

Update of power procurement policy

Minna Denryoku updates its power procurement policy from time to time with the aim of promoting healthy renewable energy and the concept of "face-to-face electricity". For power plants that began power procurement before the update, we will gradually adjust them to comply with the latest policy.

Last updated December 2, 2024

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▼Reference: Procurement Policy before update (before December 1, 2024)

Minna Denryoku directly contracts with natural energy power plants nationwide under the concept of "face-to-face electricity" that connects electricity producers and electricity users. In doing so, we place importance on whether there is a significant burden on the natural environment and whether a good relationship has been built between the power plant and the construction area, and have set the following standards.

1. The development of power sources must not have a significant impact on the local natural environment, such as forests and ecosystems.

2. Consensus must be reached to ensure that the power sources are acceptable to local residents.

3. Fuels must be produced locally and consumed locally. In particular, biomass power generation must be based on the use of domestic resources. When using imported fuels from overseas, efforts must be made to disclose that the importing country is not destroying forests, reclaming peatlands, or violating human rights.

4. The aim is to build a system in which the wealth of generated electricity is returned to the power plant area both socially and economically.

5. In the operation of the business, proper environmental management is carried out, including of wastewater, noise, pesticides, and waste, and necessary information is disclosed.

6. In order for Minna Denryoku to develop "face-to-face electricity" (= electricity traceability), information about the power plant must be posted on the Minna Denryoku website.