Eco-business / Social Venture

February 22, 2004

 

Compact Windpower Generator a Big Hit

Keywords: Eco-business / Social Venture Manufacturing industry NGO / Citizen Renewable Energy 

A compact windpower generator developed by Shinko Electric Co. has been drawing attention since its release in October 2003. The low-cost device named "Soyokaze-kun," meaning Mr. Breeze in Japanese, developed by a mid-sized Tokyo-based company with long experience in the aerospace technologies, is designed to suit the wind conditions of Japan.

The basic system costs as low as 200,000 to 400,000 yen (about U.S.$1,800 to $3,700), and can be used in dense residential, requiring only the space for installation. Further details are available at
http://www.japanfs.org/db/366-e.

The electricity generated charges two batteries and can be drawn from an electrical outlet. Fully charged batteries can last up to two hours without further charging, providing up to 300 watts of power. An optional device is also available switch to the regular electrical supply before the batteries run out completely. At the moment, Soyokaze-kun is being promoted just as a separate supplementary power source, but Shinko Electric is testing a hybrid system that uses solar power to increase Soyokaze-kun's generation capacity. This new unit is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2004 or later.

Soyokaze-kun has been on sale since the end of October 2003 in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. The company can produce more than 700 units monthly and plans to promote sales starting January 2004 in the southwestern part of Japan, and starting April in the northern part of the country. Since announcing the product for sale, the company has received over 8500 inquiries. Half were from households, a sign of high citizen interest in clean energy. The other half were from public facilities, including schools and enterprises that are eager to acquire ISO certification for good environmental management.


- Low-Cost Windpower Generators Run on a Breeze (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/366-e

Posted: 2004/02/22 06:50:48 PM
Japanese version

 

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