2. Japan and Renewable Energy:
The Fundamental Facts
Proportion of Japan’s electricity generated
by renewable energy, including hydro, in
2011: 9.1 percent
Proportion of electricity generated by
renewable energy, excluding hydro, that
same year: 1 percent
Official estimate of how much power solar
energy could ``feasibly’’ generate: 100-
150GW
No. of homes one GW of energy will supply:
243,000
3. Japan and Renewable Energy:
The Fundamental Facts
Japan’s potential onshore wind power
capacity: 30GW
No. of installed wind turbines (Sept. 2011):
1,807
Total wind energy generating capacity:
2.4GW
Est. geothermal generating capacity: 23.5GW
No. of geothermal plants: 19
Total generating capacity: 535MW
4. The New Tariff means businesses in
five different renewable energy
industries can sell their power at a
guaranteed fixed rate over a fixed
period of time
5. THE NEW FEED-IN TARIFFS
SOLAR POWER
Output Range ABOVE 10 KW BELOW 10KW
Basic Tariff
(per kilowatt/hour)
42 yen 42 yen
PERIOD 20 years 10 years
6. THE NEW FEED-IN TARIFFS
WIND POWER
Output Range ABOVE 20 KW BELOW 20KW
Basic Tariff
(per kilowatt/hour)
23.10 yen 57.75 yen
PERIOD 20 years
7. THE NEW FEED-IN TARIFFS
GEOTHERMAL POWER
Output Range ABOVE 15 KW BELOW 15KW
Basic Tariff
(per kilowatt/hour)
27.30 yen 42 yen
PERIOD 15 years
8. THE NEW FEED-IN TARIFFS
MINI-HYDRO
Output
Range
1mW-30mW 200kW-1mW Under 200kW
Basic Tariff
(per kilowatt
hour)
25.20 yen 30.45 yen 35.70 yen
PERIOD 20 years
9. THE NEW FEED-IN TARIFFS
BIOMASS
Sector Methane Gas Unused
Wood
Products
General
Wood
Waste-related
Biomass
Recycled
Wood
Products
Type Sewer
Sludge
Gas
Household
Waste
Unused Wood
Products
General
Wood
Solid
General
Waste
Solid
Sludge
“
Basic
Tariff
(per kwH)
40.95 yen 33.60
yen
25.20
yen
17.85 yen 13.65
yen
Period
20 years
10. From April to October
2012, the number of
renewable energy power
facilities approved as
targets by electricity
purchasing schemes was
146,899, generating 2,557
megawatts (MW)
Electricity output from
approved renewable
sources:
86% was from solar
power
Output from solar power
facilities that generate
10 kW or more (non-
residential), including
mega solar power
facilities, accounted for
64% of the total
renewable energy
sources.
Although a large
quantity of the total
approved power will
12. PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES:
SOLAR POWER
Unlike many other countries, the
FIT for solar power is strict, either
under or over 10kW. Different FITs
for 10, 20, 50, and 100 kW plants
are desired.
More flexibility with FIT period is
needed.
FIT critics charge that it is
designed to benefit a few large
13. PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES:
WIND POWER
FIT needs to be based on wind conditions
of location, not a fixed amount of power
generation for all locations.
Noise: Local communities complain about
loud windmills
Birds: Bird strikes and migratory patterns
mean strict environmental regulations on
wind farm development in places like the
area in and around the Kushiro Wetlands.
Remoteness: On-shore windmills often
14. PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES:
GEOTHERMAL POWER
Vast majority of Japan’s geothermal
resources in National Park areas: Strict
Environmental regulations.
Many ideal geothermal locations on, or
beside, onsens, whose politically-
connected owners oppose geothermal
development for business reasons.
Geothermal requires heavy initial
investment. High cost to maintain and
repair plants.
15. PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES:
MINI- HYDRO POWER
Requires rivers and streams with regular
flows of water at ideal speeds.
Strict gradation requirements often means
construction work is needed, creating
further environmental damage.
Remote areas of many ideal mini-hydro
spots means increased costs to deliver
generated electricity.
16. PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES:
BIOMASS POWER
For Wood Products, responsibility is
divided between Forestry Agency (under
MAFF) and METI. Bureaucratic turf wars
means bureaucratic headaches for
Biomass producers.
Utilities very cold toward biomass power;
grid connections are often extremely
expensive.
Biomass seen more as heat, rather than
electricity, generating resource.
18. Renewable Energy Projects Are
Moving Forward,
Especially in Solar and Wind
Japan’s largest solar power plant to date
will be built in Hokkaido: 200MW-20 times
the capacity of the country’s currently
largest plant in Sakai, Osaka Pref.
Softbank’s Masayoshi Son has targeted
Tomakomai and Obihiro for both solar and
wind farm development. Projects are
generating hundreds of megawatts.
21. HOKKAIDO’S MAIN
ADVANTAGES FOR EMBRACING
RENEWABLES
Nuclear Power Lobby is extremely weak in
Hokkaido, compared to Tokyo and
especially Kansai.
Environmental conservation and
awareness high.
Climate, topography, geography, populatio
n spread more favorable toward
smaller, independent renewable energy
projects than in large cities.
Conditions for offshore wind and
22. CHALLENGES HOKKAIDO MUST
OVERCOME FOR RENEWABLES
Tendency of local politicians and
bureaucrats, and major corporations, to not
take initiative and to leave all major decisions
affecting Hokkaido to Tokyo.
Skepticism among many in
Hokkaido, especially older generations
running the prefecture, about technical
feasibility of renewable energy.
Ensuring that weather extremes do not
interrupt renewable energy
supplies, especially in winter.