The Japanese Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI) has announced that applications for subsidies under the country’s feed-in tariff programme for residential PV installations will close at the end of next March.
The closing date will be 31 March 2014, the final day of the current Japanese fiscal year.
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Co-ordinated by the Japan Photovoltaic Expansion Center (JPEC), backed financially by METI, the subsidies are aimed at expanding the market for PV while simultaneously causing prices of systems to fall. The JPEC website is densely packed with detailed information and diagrams for homeowners to asses their eligibility for tariffs and explaining the process of applying for subsidies. Applications, to be made by post, can be put in for a limited period before the completion of installation.
According to METI, in the event that applications fill the budget set aside for the programme before 31 March, the process will be closed early. Notification will be posted via the METI website and news channels and no further applications will be accepted. The budget for this year was determined based on cumulative application figures to date published on the JPEC website on 30 October. PV systems must be from recognised manufacturers as registered with JPEC.
