Ishikari City, located on the Sea of Japan in Hokkaido, has a cold climate with an annual mean snowfall of 6 meters and a mean temperature of 7.5°C.The Ishikari Bay New Port Area is within easy reach of downtown Sapporo - just 30 minutes away by car.
In the prefecture, the Hokkaido Green Energy Data Center Study Group (an industry-government-academia consortium) has already conducted research to promote the establishment of a data center with ultra-low electricity consumption through the utilization of snow and ice energy.As a result of this research, the Ishikari Bay New Port Area has been identified as a region that offers advantageous climatic and other environmental conditions, a well-developed infrastructure for electricity and communication lines, and a very low level of vulnerability to natural disasters.
- ◆Ishikari City offers the following advantages for the establishment of the data center:
- 1. A stable electric power supply
- 2. Secure communication routes covered by multiple communications companies
- 3. Plentiful and inexpensive land on which to construct the center
- 4. A low rate of exposure to disaster risk (no natural disasters in the past 100 years)
- 5. An abundance of snow due to the area's cold, snowy climate
- 6. Easy access from the Metropolitan area and downtown Sapporo
- 7. Advantages from the accumulation of ICT-related companies in the Sapporo area
- 8. Utilization of wind, solar power and other forms of natural energy
