Efficient reform and decarbonization of the Japanese power system requires an increasing amount of data, tending toward a real-time measurement of power generation and consumption at each point of the grid. With this in mind, from April 1st, 2014, Japanese power companies were required by the government to begin deploying smart meters across Japan, following …
Continue reading “Smart Meters in Japan: A Cornerstone of the New Power System”
With an ever-increasing amount of non-dispatchable renewable power generation and targets for even more solar and wind to be added to the Japanese energy mix (the 6th basic energy plan targets 37% renewable energy), issues around grid balancing and renewable power availability are becoming ever more important. Recent curtailment of renewable power in Tohoku, Shikoku, …
Continue reading “The Upcoming Rise of Grid-Scale Batteries in Japan”
In a country prone to natural disasters, one of the government’s preoccupations is to increase the resilience of the grid in case of natural disasters and other emergency situations. The goal is for local grid branches to be physically independent and autonomous from the transmission network in case of emergency and be able to prioritize …
Continue reading “The Emergence of Microgrid Development in Japan”
In our previous post, we covered the overall trends in renewable energy procurement in Japan as well as the key concepts one needs to understand before embarking on the low- to no-carbon emissions path. This article, on the other hand, looks at the practicalities of procuring renewable energy in Japan. It explores the main options …
Continue reading “Renewable Energy Procurement Options in Japan”
Recently, headlines covering Japan’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and major corporations pledging to power their businesses with renewable energy have become increasingly common in Japan. Most of the latter have been businesses consuming large amounts of power and so, for businesses using relatively modest amounts of power, some of the concepts behind …
Continue reading “Reducing Carbon Footprint in Japan: The Basics”
When trying to understand the state of the Japanese power market, it is necessary to understand the country’s deregulation process and systemic changes that took place after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. That’s why we’ve already covered the topic on this blog a couple of times in the past: Japan’s Deregulated Power …
Geothermal power plants, at less than half a percent of Japan’s total power generation, are currently one of the country’s smallest sources of renewable power. However, with Japan having, by some estimates, the third-richest geothermal resources in the world and its government looking to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, this relatively minor power source is …
Continue reading “The State of Geothermal Power Generation in Japan”
In 2012, the Japanese government introduced a feed-in-tariff program aimed at promoting the use of renewable energy. While promoting solar, Japan’s largest non-hydro renewable source, has been the main target of the program, wind projects have received support as well. Since then, Japan has seen an increase in the number of wind projects, both on- …
As other countries are rapidly shifting away from using coal for power generation, Japan continues to heavily rely on this fossil fuel. That said, pressure from abroad and other factors have contributed to changes in the Japanese government’s stance towards coal. This article explores the history of coal in Japan as well as the government’s …
Continue reading “Turning Point for Coal-Fired Power Generation in Japan”
Well into the fifth year of Japan’s deregulated electricity retail market, which opened on April 1, 2016, there’s a lot to look back and reflect upon, and there’s still much to be anticipated. We’re going to zero in on some interesting aspects of the winding road the market has taken so far. Hiccups, Haze and …
Continue reading “Japan’s Deregulated Power Market: Year Five”
