The expansion of renewable energy generation is necessary to achieve a decarbonized society, but in many cases, it takes time for local communities to reach a consensus. In order to accelerate the introduction of renewable energy, it is effective to quantify the benefits to the local community from the construction and operation of renewable energy power plants and present them to local stakeholders. This paper analyzes a woody biomass power plant in the Oketsu district of Fukui Prefecture. First, the regional input-output table for the Oketsu district was created based on the Fukui Prefecture input-output table, and the regional economic revitalization effect of a woody biomass power plant was calculated. Through this work, we clarified the regional industrial structure of the Oketsu district and quantitatively indicated which industries in the region would benefit from a woody biomass power plant.

Given the use of regional natural and human resources, renewable power plants are expected to deliver a substantial regional economic effect. This study quantifies the influence of renewable power generation in stimulating local economies using the regional input–output table data of each of the 47 prefectures in Japan. The results reveal, among other findings, that the construction and operation of unused wood biomass power plants of the same scale elicit nearly fourfold difference in regional economic effects between Hokkaido and Tokyo. Varying results are a reflection of the industrial structure in a region and the rate of self-sufficiency of related industries. In addition, when comparing the effect of regional economic revitalization by introducing renewable energy per kWh by energy source, the results are in the order of small hydro, unused wood biomass, industrial solar, and onshore wind. It was determined that the economic effect of the introduction of four types of renewable energy is sufficiently large enough in comparison to the value of electricity.

The expansion of renewable energy generation is necessary to achieve a decarbonized society, but in many cases, it takes time for local communities to reach a consensus. In order to accelerate the introduction of renewable energy, it is effective to quantify the benefits to the local community from the construction and operation of renewable energy power plants and present them to local stakeholders. This paper analyzes a woody biomass power plant in the Oketsu district of Fukui Prefecture. First, the regional input-output table for the Oketsu district was created based on the Fukui Prefecture input-output table, and the regional economic revitalization effect of a woody biomass power plant was calculated. Through this work, we clarified the regional industrial structure of the Oketsu district and quantitatively indicated which industries in the region would benefit from a woody biomass power plant.