actually began planning the new operation of coal-fired power plants in order to
enhance the capability of economical power supply, influenced by the soaring
import payment for LNG. For example, Tokyo, Kansai, Chubu, Kyushu and
Tohoku electric power companies plan to add 1.0 GW [6], 1.2 GW [7], 1.0 GW [8],
1.2 GW [9] and 0.6 GW [10] of coal-fired power plant in their power generation
mix respectively. Including those plans, total 13 GW of newly building plan of
coal-fired is under consideration. Japan needs to place coal as an important energy
resource in order to secure the economical competitiveness of power supply and to
effectively purchase other fuel through the employment of coal as a bargaining
power in negotiation. Additionally, to suppress its external environmental impact,
Japan is expected to develop clean coal technologies such as IGCC (integrated coal
gasification combined cycle) and CCS (carbon capture and storage).
As explained so far, fossil fuel serves as main alternative energy substituting
nuclear energy after Fukushima. However, expectation has been currently concentrated on renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic and wind power
systems, since those are domestic and carbon-free energy sources that will contribute to create advanced electricity business. In addition, renewables are socially
preferable options due to its reliance on natural sources of energy as distributed
power sources. Since July 1, 2012, the Japanese government started to implement a
Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system for renewable electricity, aiming at the promotion of
renewable energy in the country’s energy mix. Particularly after the implementation
of FIT in 2012 by the government, the cumulative installed PV capacity rapidly
increased from 6.6 GW in 2012 to 23.3 GW in 2014 (Fig. 5) [11]. Moreover, PV
capacity, which is certified to be built for the future and now under consideration,
amounts to 68.9 GW as of October 2014 against 231 GW of total utility capacity in
Japan (Fig. 5) [11], suggesting that the effects of FIT have been very powerful,
although the power generation cost of PV is still more expensive (Fig. 6) [12].
However, a set of FIT tariff is difficult in terms of integrating renewables in an
optimal way as implied by the experiences of other countries such as Germany and
Spain. If the FIT tariff is set to be profitable for PV owners, PV investment rapidly
expands well beyond the managerial capability of power grid, and increasing
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2012 (Jul.)
2013
2014
2015
(GW)
ImplementaƟon of FIT
CerƟfied by FIT
In operaƟon
Fig. 5 Installed solar PV
capacity (certified by FIT & in
operation) in Japan [11]
102
R. Komiyama
enhance the capability of economical power supply, influenced by the soaring
import payment for LNG. For example, Tokyo, Kansai, Chubu, Kyushu and
Tohoku electric power companies plan to add 1.0 GW [6], 1.2 GW [7], 1.0 GW [8],
1.2 GW [9] and 0.6 GW [10] of coal-fired power plant in their power generation
mix respectively. Including those plans, total 13 GW of newly building plan of
coal-fired is under consideration. Japan needs to place coal as an important energy
resource in order to secure the economical competitiveness of power supply and to
effectively purchase other fuel through the employment of coal as a bargaining
power in negotiation. Additionally, to suppress its external environmental impact,
Japan is expected to develop clean coal technologies such as IGCC (integrated coal
gasification combined cycle) and CCS (carbon capture and storage).
As explained so far, fossil fuel serves as main alternative energy substituting
nuclear energy after Fukushima. However, expectation has been currently concentrated on renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic and wind power
systems, since those are domestic and carbon-free energy sources that will contribute to create advanced electricity business. In addition, renewables are socially
preferable options due to its reliance on natural sources of energy as distributed
power sources. Since July 1, 2012, the Japanese government started to implement a
Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system for renewable electricity, aiming at the promotion of
renewable energy in the country’s energy mix. Particularly after the implementation
of FIT in 2012 by the government, the cumulative installed PV capacity rapidly
increased from 6.6 GW in 2012 to 23.3 GW in 2014 (Fig. 5) [11]. Moreover, PV
capacity, which is certified to be built for the future and now under consideration,
amounts to 68.9 GW as of October 2014 against 231 GW of total utility capacity in
Japan (Fig. 5) [11], suggesting that the effects of FIT have been very powerful,
although the power generation cost of PV is still more expensive (Fig. 6) [12].
However, a set of FIT tariff is difficult in terms of integrating renewables in an
optimal way as implied by the experiences of other countries such as Germany and
Spain. If the FIT tariff is set to be profitable for PV owners, PV investment rapidly
expands well beyond the managerial capability of power grid, and increasing
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2012 (Jul.)
2013
2014
2015
(GW)
ImplementaƟon of FIT
CerƟfied by FIT
In operaƟon
Fig. 5 Installed solar PV
capacity (certified by FIT & in
operation) in Japan [11]
102
R. Komiyama