Japan

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  As a condition of his resignation, Prime Minister Naoto Kan rushed through a renewable energy bill, effective July 2012.

Update: April 2012

On April 25, the 6th Purchase Price Calculation Committee for the new FiT program set out new guidelines, effective July 2012:

1. up to 10kW = €0.375/kWh, for 20 years, excluding tax

2. <10 kW PV systems: €0.394/kWh, for 10 years, including tax, with a seperate FIT for any surplus power generated.

Details have not yet been released, however an official announcement will be issued by the end of May.

Update: March 2012

Prime Minister Naoto Kan was forced from office following criticism of his handling of last year’s earthquake, tsunami and its nuclear disaster in Fukishima, but not before rushing through a renewable energy bill, effective July 2012.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance has estimated that under Japan’s proposed tariffs, solar and wind projects could achieve equity returns as high as 44% and 51%, respectively, with total investments reaching up to US$37.5bn over the next three years. The market research firm predicts over 10GW of new solar projects installed by 2014, requiring investments of $12.5bn/yr over the next three years. Bloomberg New Energy Finance states Japan could become the third largest solar market in the world by 2014.

The bill will introduce opportunities for independent power producers to buy electricity from solar, wind, biomass, small-scale hydro and geothermal power for 15 years. Prices for wind, small-sized hydro, biomass, geothermal will be either €0.14kWh or €0.18kwh.

There will be no difference in surcharges from one company to another as power producers will pass their total payments to users evenly nationwide.

2009

Back in 2008 Japan announced funding of 9 billion yen (€69.7408791) to 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.

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.