| Title | Present status of promotion of underground thermal utilization in Japan |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kasumi Yasukawa and Shinji Takasugi |
| Year | 2003 |
| Conference | European Geothermal Conference |
| Keywords | country update, underground thermal utilization, heat pump, Japan |
| Abstract | Utilization of low-enthalpy geothermal energy in Japan has been far behind the other industrial countries. In 1998, people concerned in Japan conducted a feasibility study on promotion of low enthalpy geothermal resources utilization. In 2000, Geothermal Heat Pump Association was settled by the interested persons from universities and private companies. The activity has been succeeded by present Geo-Heat Promotion Association of Japan (GeoHPJ) since 2001 with an objective of 140 thousand installations for private houses by 2010. Geothermal Research Society of Japan also started new activities on this topic. Research groups in universities and national institutes have started geo-scientific research for its utilization in Japan. Thus, private, academic and governmental sectors have just started working on promotion of geothermal heat pump utilization. |