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HOME > ABOUT US > GLOBALPROJECTS > JAPANCity-Wide Program Teaches Children About Wind Power in Kyoto, Japan (2006)
Kyoto city, a leading municipal government in Japan, where the COP-3 Global Summit Conference of Climate Changes took place in 1997, has opted for Zephyr’s hybrid wind/solar power generation system developed by Zephyr Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. It uses the Air-X wind generator originally developed by Southwest Windpower, Arizona, USA which is then modified by Zephyr to meet the needs of Japanese market. Zephyr is the distributor of Southwest in Japan since 1997. FLAGSTAFF, AZ., and TOKYO, Japan– Today Southwest Windpower and Zephyr jointly announced that all the installation works for power generation systems which took almost a year have been complete at all of the 121 elementary and junior high schools in Kyoto city last week. For the whole project, Kyoto city government subsidized a major part of funds, and the rest was supported by the Japanese government. “It is a great pleasure and honor for us," said Frank Greco, CEO of Southwest Windpower. “Kyoto city and its board of education had already decided last year to allocate necessary budget to install Zephyr systems to the schools in Kyoto city aiming at all pupils having chances always to experience wonders of wind and solar energy as well as the importance of environmental protection,” said Ryosuke Ito, President and the founder of Zephyr. “The system consists of a Air-X based small wind generator (400 watts) and a solar panel (65watts) with an AGM sealed battery which stores generated electricity an inverter. All schools had to discuss among students and decide how to use the generated power before each installation started. Some schools concluded to use it for water pumping to the biotope, while others, for example, used it for internal PA systems or the security alarm systems. The system features eco-friendly design and superb performance even under low wind, a quiet rotor spinning, and data reading capabilities, easy enough for the pupils to learn much about renewable energy,” Ito added. “As the Mayor of Kyoto city where the COP-3 conference we hosted took place in 1997, and also the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emission has been put in place last year by the global member nations, I believe we have made a right decision at the right timing as the world is now positively moving forward to the right direction in their efforts. It is very encouraging for me to see the teachers and pupils happily discussing how to best utilize the renewable energy systems in their school,” said Mr. Masumoto, Mayor of Kyoto city. Southwest Windpower and Zephyr have been working together as Southwest Windpower being a supplier and Zephyr being a distributor in Japan and also as business partners developing small wind market for 10 years by collaborating and developing each other’s products, and in the future, both companies are committed to contribute to expanding the small wind market together on the global basis. About Zephyr
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