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Japan

Roof-Top Tariff Ground-Based Systems BIPV Tariff Term (years) Updated
0.39 0.39 0.39 15 2 September 2009

In Japan, renewable energy sources have really taken off in the last couple of years with planned solar PV a big section of this market. In this country there are different measures in place for different regions, some only slightly different, some based on the environmental policy already in place in that region.

Background

The previous FiT model for this country was set at around €0.18/kWh, which was low in comparison to other countries. The new model sets the rate much higher at €0.39/kWh, which rates Japan quite high in the FiT table.

Current PV Market

More than 300 municipalities continue to provide solar photovoltaic (PV) subsidies and support green power purchasing and other renewables policies in concert with a national policy and networking platform called "Japan Regional New Energy Vision."

Future Plan

The national target for renewable energy by 2010 is 1.3% and 1.6% by 2014.

Quotes

Taro Aso "We must not relax our measures to tackle climate change even in the midst of this once-in-a-century economic crisis.  In order for our countermeasures against climate change to be enduring, it is critical that they should be made compatible with the economy."

Prime Minister Taro ASO

Back in 2008 Japan announced funding of 9 billion yen (€69.7408791), this will go towards the encouragement of installing solar power systems on over 70% of new houses.

Back in early 2009 Energy Matters reported that Japan was due to take on more renewable energy sources in a bid to stimulate the falgging economy. This inititaive encourageed the introduction of the FiT rate which can be seen in the above table.

The new FiT rate will surely encourage many more PV installations and continue the growth of this RES in the country. The rate was calculated to enable customers who have purchased grid-connected systems to recoever their initail outlay over a period of 15 years. All electricity utilities in Japan will be required to participate in this premium-rate scheme.

Kitakyushu, Japan  Kitakyushu has a long history of environmental policy, and was selected number one among environmentally advanced cities in Japan for both 2006 and 2007, according to a non-governmental competition. The city has also been selected as an "eco-model" city in Japan.

Back in 2007, the city adopted a "Low-Carbon City Vision" that calls for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vision focuses on urban structure and sustainable energy and transport. Currently, subsidies are provided for household solar PV in this area.

Tokyo, Japan Tokyo's main targets are to increase the share of renewable energy to 20% of total energy consumption by 2020. These targets were established in 2006 with the Tokyo Renewable Energy Strategy and a climate change action plan that called for emissions trading and was subsequently merged into the Tokyo Environmental Master Plan (2008). Those plans contained a further target for 1GW of solar PV within city limits. The city provides subsidies to households for solar PV on condition that the resulting green-electricity certificates become the property of the city government for trading. That trading is due to get a large boost starting in 2010 when a mandatory carbon cap-and-trade system will be imposed on large businesses.

Yokohama, Japan Yokohama adopted a comprehensive urban plan "Yokohama Energy Vision" in 2008 that includes promotion of renewable energy. Central to this plan are targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2025 and by 60% by 2050 (base 2004). Two-thirds of the emissions reduction will come from energy efficiency and one-third from renewable energy, which implies a ten-fold increase in renewable energy use by 2025.

To achieve the target, a number of renewable-energy-related measures have been adopted: a requirement that large commercial buildings formulate CO2 reduction plans; installations of solar PV on government buildings and schools; subsidies for household solar PV; promotion of green-power certificate trading and purchases; use of city building rooftops for private renewable energy installations; and implementation of city-owned renewable energy projects that are financed by businesses and citizen-investors.

Source

http://www.isep.or.jp/library/iida070919.pdf

http://www.isep.or.jp/Local%20GSR/REN21_LRE2009_Jun12.pdf

http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=335

 

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