Energy / Climate Change

May 16, 2009

 

Ministry Recommends that Solar Power Output to Rise 55 Times by 2030

Keywords: Government Renewable Energy 


The Japanese Ministry of the Environment (MOE) "Study Group Focused on Measures to Expand the Use of Renewable Energy towards Building a Low Carbon Society" reported its recommendations about how to expand the use of renewable energy to the Global Environment Committee of the Central Environment Council on February 10, 2009. In particular, the study group members suggest specific policies to spread the use of solar power generation significantly in order to regain the global top spot.

The MOE has set a goal for solar power generation costs to be equivalent to retail power costs, which are 7 yen (U.S.$0.07)/kWh. It aims to achieve this goal through the mass-production effect of the spread and rise total solar energy output to 79,000 megawatts, 55 times the current output, by 2030. The Ministry believes this is feasible by doing the following: adoption of solar power use in the public sector as an example for the rest of the economy, having a system of fixed price purchasing to guarantee recovery of investment in 10 years, technological development, financial support, and public awareness activities to spread the use of solar power.

By expanding the use of renewable energy, Japan will increase the ratio of its energy supply it produces on its own from the current 5 percent to 16 percent. The economic effect will be 58 to 64 trillion yen (about U.S.$644 billion to U.S.$711billion) or more including conservation of fossil fuel. The MOE expects to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 100 million tons, or a drop of 8 percent from 1990 levels, and to create jobs for about 700,000 people. The cost required to expand the introduction of renewable energy is 25 trillion yen (about U.S.$278 billion), including 17 trillion yen (about U.S.$189 billion) for solar power generation. The Ministry also predicted that monthly electric bills would rise by an average of 260 yen (about U.S.$2.89) per household.

Japanese Government Adopts Action Plan Emphasizing Solar Power Generation (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028625.html
PROPOSAL: A Renewable Energy Promotion Policy for Achieving a Low-carbon Society
http://www.env.go.jp/en/earth/cc/lcs/conf-re_rcm.html

Posted: 2009/05/16 06:00:15 AM

Japanese  

 

このページの先頭へ