International Comparative Study of Integrated SEA Based Consensus Building for Geothermal Development

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870612
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental policy and social systems; Environmental impact assessment
• Research Institution: Toho University
• Principal Investigator: SHIBATA Yuki 東邦大学, 理学部, 講師 (40583034)
• Research Collaborator: UECHI Joju ; SUWA Aki ; MURAYAMA Takehiko ; TAKEMAE Yumiko ; NISHIKIZAWA Shigeo
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 持続可能性アセスメント / 環境影響評価 / 地熱 / 合意形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Among the renewable sources, since the stabilized supply characteristics, geothermal has been recognized as a renewable base-load power in Japan. This study aimed to develop a policy making tool for supporting consensus building among the geothermal regional stakeholders including the historical Onsen (hot spring spa) businesses. We conducted international good practice case studies at Enhanced Geothermal System projects in Basel (Swiss), Sant. Gallen (Swiss) and large scale binary geothermal power in Waikato (New Zealand). We also conducted a questionnaire survey at Izu-Oshima to clarify the social acceptances of Onsen businesses for geothermal development in volcanic island. From the result, we concluded that the integrated sustainability assessment which integrated in to the development policy making process at the upstream of the decision making process seems to facilitate the consensus building under the vague uncertain information condition.

Free Research Field

環境政策