Ryobi Holdings Finishes Vegetable Factory with Solar Power Generation

Ryobi Holdings Co., a subsidiary of Ryobi Group mainly engaged in transportation and tourism, has completed a photovoltaic power generation system laboratory named Kyoyama Labo Park on the site of Okayama City's former Kyoyama Ropeway Parks, currently known as Kyoyama Solar Green Park. An opening ceremony was held February 1, 2011.

The laboratory is being used to study the performance of a concentrator tracking-type of photovoltaic system, which Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and Ryobi Group are experimenting in a joint U.S.-Japan research project. In association with the research, vegetables are grown inside using the electricity generated by the photovoltaic system. The plant factory is built inside the Kyoyama Tower, part of a former landmark amusement park that was shut down in 2007.

Ryobi Holdings plans to use this system to grow more than thirty varieties of vegetables in order to find the best light source for artificial cultivation, to realize low-cost, stable cultivation and to improve vegetable flavor. Furthermore, Ryobi will cultivate and breed functional vegetables which contain controlled amounts of specific nutrients such as low potassium or high vitamin C for patients suffering from certain diseases. The company plans to open its photovoltaic system and the plant factory to the public.

AIST Develops Communication Technology to Monitor Individual Solar Panels (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030561.html
Sandwich Chain Opens World's First Shop with Onsite Lettuce Factory (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030270.html

Posted: 2011/07/20 06:00:15 AM