A plan to use a former golf course owned by Nara Prefecture for a 25ha mega solar project will be scrapped due to opposition from local residents and the inability to secure construction permit from Gojo City, the prefecture’s governor Makoto Yamashita said on January 30, 2025.
The land was acquired by the prefecture under the tenure of its previous governor for the construction of a 2,000m runway that could be used during emergency situations. When Yamashita took office in 2023, he decided to scrap the plan, which he deemed infeasible, instead proposing the construction of a heliport and using the remaining land for a solar project that could supply power during emergency situations.
According to a video posted on Yamashita’s YouTube channel, the prefecture acquired the land for approximately 3.6 billion yen, using funds borrowed from the national government. Only 30% of the loan needs to be repaid if the land is repurposed for disaster preparedness starting next fiscal year, said Yamashita in the video.
Gojo City’s ordinance requires local residents’ consent and agreement with the city to build 50kW+ solar projects. With his ability to secure the approvals unlikely, Yamashita ultimately decided to cancel the plan.
The development represents a broader trend in local opposition to solar and wind projects. In a separate recent case, the mayor of Fukushima City said that he would not consent to the construction of a 46MW onshore wind power plant by HSE, practically blocking the ability of the company to sign a land lease for the project site if the decision is made official.
