TMG Expands Business Subsidy for Energy Self-Sufficiency Projects

Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) announced on February 7, 2012, plans to expand its financial assistance for small and medium-sized businesses that install their own electric generators and storage batteries. The subsidy will be made available to businesses who wish to set up off-grid-capable generators and storage batteries outside Tokyo, provided that their headquarters were located in Tokyo as of March 11, 2011, and their headquarters functions have been in their registered headquarters for one year or longer.

To be eligible, businesses will be required to install the systems in areas that were affected by power restrictions as a direct result of the East Japan Great Earthquake, namely, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Yamanashi, Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, Yamagata, Akita, Aomori, and Niigata prefectures, and east of the Fuji River in Shizuoka Prefecture.

The subsidy will also be available for the purchase of new storage batteries with a capacity of two kilowatt-hours or more and their accessories, if they are installed for the purpose of energy conservation and backup power for facilities and equipment. Businesses will also be required to keep the batteries full at all times by purchasing additional electricity in order to meet their own electricity needs during sudden power outages and to be able to continue operating during rolling blackouts.

Supportive devices and design and installation fees will also fall within the scope of the subsidy. In fiscal 2012, up to two-thirds of actual costs and fees or 20 million yen (about US$244,000) will be subsidized for applicants applying as a single business, and up to three quarters or 560 million yen (about US$6.8 million) for applicants applying as a group of businesses.

Posted: 2012/05/29 06:00:15 AM