■Mega solar installation work on the Karatsu/Nagoya inclined shaft site will be completed soon, and power generation will begin next month
It has been decided that solar power will be generated at the site of the Nagoya Shaft in Karatsu, and work to install solar panels, which has been underway since spring, will soon be completed. It is planned that 1.5 megawatts of electricity will be generated using the idle land, and financial contributions are expected for the upkeep and maintenance of the tunnel facilities.
Cutting down trees on the site began on April 9th, and the site is currently nearing completion, with land leveling work and panel assembly completed. Final work is being done in preparation for power generation starting next month, including installing wire mesh to protect the panels and installing wiring from the power company. We will report on the completed equipment in the next issue.
View of the observation deck above the mine entrance from the helicopter landing pad. Grading is progressing. June 14th
There is an observation deck on a small hill above the tunnel entrance, and it is an omnidirectional observation deck that overlooks the Nagoya Castle ruins, Yobuko Port, Genkai Sea, and Iki Island. This hill is one of the ruins of Hideyoshi's camp 400 years ago when he dispatched troops to Korea, and is also a cultural property, so we are making use of the flat land and gentle slopes off the hill. Because it receives sunlight for a long period of time, construction officials say, ``It's a suitable location with a favorable environment for power generation.'' Additionally, as the Nagoya Diagonal Shaft continues toward Kabeshima Island off the coast of Yobuko, solar panels will also be lined up on the surface of the tunnel.
Kyushu is actively working on a solar power generation project, and there were more applicants than the government had expected, and the future was uncertain for a while, with power companies refusing to buy the project, and the start of construction was delayed. Japan's economic development has been described as a "route on oil," but to the west of the sloping shaft lies the now-shut down Genkai nuclear power plant, which makes us reconsider our country's energy situation. In addition, nuclear energy is considered essential for human space travel, and we have high hopes for Japan's technological capabilities.
On August 5th, the panel foundation was installed from the middle of the site.
The solar panels have been installed and work is underway to turn them on. October 7th
