Thursday, July 30, 2020

Renewable Energy in Japan

New laws and new targets: renewable power in Japan

Japan plans to increase its reliance on renewable power to 24% of its energy mix by 2030, more than double its current production.

With new laws in place to encourage renewable projects, JP Casey profiles the country’s clean energy sources, and consider how realistic its 2030 goals are.



Japan has big plans for the future of its renewables sector. New legislation introduced in 2017 aims to increase the country’s percentage of power from renewable sources, with greater government oversight of renewable projects to ensure their efficiency, and purchases of greater volumes of power from renewable sources.

This is particularly significant considering two factors: Japan’s reliance on energy from foreign sources, and its recent move away from nuclear power.

The World Nuclear Association reported in 2019 that the country needs to import 90% of its energy, and following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, Japan’s share of power from nuclear sources has collapsed from 30% in 2011 to a production target of just 20% by 2030.

With these in mind, Japan is turning to sources such as solar, wind and tidal power to reduce its dependence on overseas production, and trigger innovation in its domestic energy sector. We profile the country’s clean energy sources, and consider how realistic its 2030 clean energy goals are.


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