2014.05.29
Ten Big News 2013

Our research focuses on three major areas to ensure the sustainable development of society: (1) utilization of the geosphere to establish a sustainable and stable energy cycle, (2) protection of the geosphere for the safety and health of the nation, and (3) security of stable supply of natural resources for industrial activities and society at large. Ten Big News Items of 2013 were selected from various activities carried out at our institute over the past year, and have the most potential to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, based on the following factors:

• Noteworthy research results
• Launch, promotion, or completion of important projects or joint researches
• Contribution to society through publication of research results or through technology transfer
• Creation of important intellectual infrastructures or results of fundamental researches
• Events, awards, and others that bring honor to the institute
• Important initiatives that lead to advances in researches of the institute

In 2013, our institute was reformed on geothermal and geo-heat research sections. Development of renewable energies has been greatly expected after the Great East Japan Earthquake. For its promotion, the Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute, AIST (FREA) was established at Tsukuba in October 2013, preceding the official opening of the institute at Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture in April 2014. Leading researchers on the studies were moved from our institute to FREA and started to make geothermal and geo-heat studies a featured research theme of FREA. This Ten Big News 2013 includes news items related to the geothermal and geo-heat studies, in addition to other important results of research and development.

I hope that this brochure will help you in understanding the activities and contributions of our institute.

May 2014

Dr. Shinsuke Nakao, Director