Utility-scale backlog contributed to Japan’s 7GW PV year

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Japan installed 7,185,000kW of PV by the end of the country’s 2013 financial year, which ended on 31 March, according to the latest figures from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

METI regularly issues figures for renewable energy generation capacity which give a detailed breakdown of installations by region and type. According to the statistics, 1,307,000kW of residential PV was added last fiscal year, along with around 5,735,000kW of non-residential. This shows a marked increase in both segments – during the period July 2012 to the end of March 2013, just under 1GW (969,000kW) of residential PV was added, along with around 704,000kW of non-residential.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

In a recent interview with analyst Dr Hiroshi Matsukawa of Tokyo-based RTS PV, Matsukawa said that the backlog of projects that had been approved in the first year of the FiT but had yet to be built, was providing momentum for construction to continue on a large scale in the near future in Japan. This is thought to account in part for the disparity between the huge increase in non-residential projects, which include commercial as well as utility-scale and the modest increase in residential capacity.

However, aside from concerns such as the grid's stability and capacity, which have inhibited the technical ability of projects on the northern island of Hokkaido to be connected, Matsukawa said preparing for life after the FiT, which is due to expire in 2020 after a continuing period of degression, would be the most pressing concern for the Japanese PV industry in the near term.

The increase in PV is also vastly outpacing other forms of renewable energy – compared to the 7.185GW of PV capacity, including residential, commercial and utility scale added last year, only 47,000kW of wind power was added, around 4,000kW of small and medium hydropower and 92,000kW of biomass.

Hiroshi Matsukawa of RTS PV is among the Japanese solar industry figures interviewed for a feature article in Volume 14 of Solar Business Focus, which discussed the nation's renewable energy ambitions in detail.

Read Next

Premium
October 10, 2025
Gaëtan Masson of IEA PVPS warns of overcapacity, collapsing prices and slipping module quality in the new Trends in PV Applications report.
October 10, 2025
The European solar module market has reached a “state of equilibrium” in recent weeks, with stable prices and regular demand.
October 10, 2025
US solar recycling firm OnePlanet has achieved the R2v3 certification from electronics sustainability non-profit SERI, which represents the “highest standards of traceability”.
October 10, 2025
NTPC Renewable Energy Limited has signed an MoU with the Government of Gujarat to develop 15GW renewable energy projects in Gujarat.
October 10, 2025
Australia's renewable energy sector recorded its slowest month of the year for additions in September, with 5.8GW of new projects added to development pipelines, according to data from Rystad Energy.
October 9, 2025
The Australian government has announced the results of the fourth Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) tender, with 6.6GW of renewables awarded long-term contracts.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK