Because I want to be kind to the Earth. Electricity recycled from tempura oil too!

"Earth Day" is the day of the Earth. Therefore, the electricity consumed at "Earth Day Tokyo 2026" must also be environmentally friendly. With this in mind, the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group will operate generators with fuel recycled from tempura oil (biodiesel fuel) at "Earth Day Tokyo 2026 @ Yoyogi Park" to supply electricity for the event.

We want many people to know that "environmentally friendly electricity" can be generated from our daily lives, rather than from fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and liquefied natural gas, or nuclear power.

This time for sure. Break free from fossil fuels. Bring "environmentally friendly electricity" properly into society and our lives.

Currently, the tension in the international situation is causing disruption in crude oil supply. Fifty years have passed since the first oil shock in 1973. Despite experiencing energy crises many times since then, including the second oil shock, the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, and the invasion of Ukraine, we still depend on Earth's resources, including crude oil.

Now is the time to seriously choose "earth-friendly resources" and "environmentally friendly electricity."

What comes to mind when you hear "environmentally friendly electricity"? The momentum for attention is said to have been triggered by the "Paris Agreement," adopted at the "United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP)" held in Paris, France, in 2015. Globally, "eco-friendly electricity" has garnered attention, and in Japan, various forms of "green electricity" and "renewable energy generation," such as solar power, wind power, and hydropower, have been increasing nationwide, and the adoption of electricity switching in homes and businesses has gradually spread.

Let's generate the necessary electricity ourselves! A trial of creating eco-friendly electricity that can be self-sufficient in the community.

The Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group has also been advocating for the use of electricity with low environmental impact for its business offices and has been promoting the switch to renewable energy in cooperation with "Minna Denryoku" of UPDATER Inc.

Furthermore, since 2010, even before the Paris Agreement, we have called on organizations inside and outside the community to become as self-sufficient as possible in energy. We collect "used tempura oil" discarded from households and restaurants, manufacture "biodiesel fuel (BDF fuel)" with a low environmental impact, and have started initiatives to circulate familiar resources as energy with a small impact on the Earth.

Refined BDF fuel is used as fuel for vehicles equipped with diesel engines, as fuel for heaters and agricultural machinery in agricultural greenhouses, and as fuel for generators in stores and factories.

In recent years, its use as generator fuel for large-scale events such as city illuminations and music live performances has increased. This time, following last year, we will introduce the initiatives of the Agrin business office of the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group, which will assist in power supply at "Earth Day Tokyo 2026 @ Yoyogi Park" to be held on April 18 (Sat) and 19 (Sun).

Click here for "Earth Day Tokyo".

"Earth Day Tokyo 2026": https://www.earthday-tokyo.org/event/earthday2026

Used tempura oil collected from the community, BDF fuel production plant

Two days of thinking and acting for the Earth. Thinking about the Earth and the environment with biodiesel fuel electricity. - Initiatives of the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group at "Earth Day Tokyo" -

Almost all of the electricity used at "Earth Day Tokyo 2026" will be supplied by "Agrin TOKYO (Ota Ward, Tokyo)" and "Shibayama Agrin (Shibayama Town, Chiba Prefecture)," which are business offices of the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group. They will refine used tempura oil collected from local restaurants and households into BDF fuel and provide it as fuel for the generators that produce electricity for the event.

We started this initiative in 2019 and have gradually increased the amount of electricity supplied. At "Earth Day Tokyo 2026," we will finally achieve our goal of holding the event with 100% renewable energy. Yoyogi Park, the venue, will host about 300 booths related to environmental protection, international cooperation, organic food, ethical goods, and more. In addition, about 50 schools and student organizations will exhibit in the "Youth Area." For these booths, the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group will support a 100% renewable energy event by supplying electricity for charging "portable power sources" and for the entire venue using diesel generators fueled by BDF fuel, alongside companies that supply solar power.

Press release on this initiative at "Earth Day Tokyo 2026" https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000065.000032254.html

Results in 2025

We reduced the number of gasoline generators from 40 to 13 and switched to diesel generators using BDF as fuel instead.

In cooperation with Jackery Japan Inc., the Japanese subsidiary of "Jackery" (USA), a world-leading brand of portable power sources and solar panels, 35 units of their portable storage batteries and solar panels (charged by solar power during the day and by generators using BDF fuel at night) were prepared. This created an environment where exhibitors could flexibly use power.

At the venue on the day of the event, "Agrin TOKYO" and "Jiyu no Mori Gakuen (Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture)" collaborated to collect used tempura oil. 450 liters of waste cooking oil were collected over two days. The CO2 emissions reduced by this initiative (converted to light oil and heavy oil) amounted to 1,183.5 kg.

Initiatives for 2026

Gasoline generators used at the Earth Day Tokyo 2026 venue will be eliminated, and three large diesel generators using BDF as fuel will be introduced.

The above BDF generators will supply power to approximately 23 kitchen cars.

In addition, approximately 50 portable storage batteries charged by BDF generators will be introduced to supply power to each exhibition tent and three mini-stages within the venue. *This year, portable storage batteries will again be provided by Jackery Japan Inc.

Solar sharing (agro-photovoltaics) and two portable storage batteries will be used to supply power to the "Inclusive Play Park" (a new type of playground where everyone can play and connect beyond all differences), which was installed at the Earth Day Tokyo 2026 venue last year.

This year again, the "Sustainability Committee" (volunteer students) of Jiyu no Mori Gakuen Junior and Senior High School (Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture) will call for the collection of used tempura oil, which is the raw material for BDF, at three locations within the Earth Day Tokyo 2026 venue. Please bring your used tempura oil and unused tempura oil when you visit.

Of course, all electricity within the "Workers' Cooperative Village" established by the Workers' Cooperative Federation will again be covered by BDF power generation this year.

At the "Agrin Tent" within the Workers' Cooperative Village, visitors can learn about the method of refining tempura oil into BDF fuel, the difference between SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and BDF (Biodiesel Fuel), which are also refined from tempura oil, and experience-based learning about the climate environment.

Diesel generators used at the venue will charge portable power sources with BDF generators.

Charged portable power sources will be transported to each booth. Used tempura oil will also be collected in cooperation with Jiyu no Mori Gakuen.

Introduction to the refining method of BDF. Please feel free to call out to us if you see us at the venue.

Making environmental issues "personal" through electricity supply. Your small eco-activities will lead to a big movement.

Putting aside the difficult parts, "Earth Day" is a fun event. There are many small discoveries, such as how electricity is made and what to do to reduce waste.

There are many attractive projects where you can learn about the environment and a sustainable society without even realizing it, by experiencing, tasting, and enjoying music. When participating, please bring your "my tableware" and "my chopsticks" in addition to "used tempura oil."

In addition, the Workers' Cooperative Federation will again establish the "Workers' Cooperative Village" at Earth Day Tokyo this year. We will prepare exhibitions and workshops that adults and children can enjoy, focusing on eco-friendliness and welfare. We look forward to your participation!

Click here for "Workers' Cooperative Village".

"Earth Day Tokyo 2026 Workers' Cooperative Village": https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000042.000074386.html

*If you or your organization would like to know more or are interested, please contact the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group below.

Overview of the Labor Cooperative Center Enterprise Group

Established: February 23, 1973 Representative: Toru Fujita, Representative Director Location: Ikebukuro ISP Tama Building 7F, 1-44-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Business Activities: Comprehensive welfare-related businesses, management and operation of public facilities, greening, cleaning Website: https://center.roukyou.gr.jp/