Characteristics of the Process of Establishing the Project for a Demonstration Experiment about Hot Spring Energy Generation in Obama Hot Spring Area, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

The purpose of this research is to identify characteristics of the process of establishing the project for a demonstration experiment about hot spring energy generation in Obama Hot Spring Area, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The main findings are as follows. (1)The development of the alternative energy program in Unzen City, based on involvement by a stakeholder taking the initiative role, contributed greatly to the giving assurance for the legitimacy of carrying out the project. (2)The establishment of a consultative body on the project, which consists of multiple stakeholders, contributed greatly to developing an atmosphere conducive to carrying out the project. (3)The transmission of information about the project by stakeholders, who have a high expertise and reliability, contributed greatly to increasing the feasibility of the project. (4)Utilization of unused hot spring water and lands owned by public sectors contributed greatly to avoiding the non-public sector’s risk of carrying out the project. Based on these findings, we propose a list of considerations for reviewing the establishment of the project for a demonstration experiment about hot spring energy generation.