Klimawandel und Ökologie
The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Volume 18 | Issue 17 | Number 4 | Article ID 5464 | Sep 01, 2020
Mit freundlicher Erlaubnis von Japan Focus

The Japan Renewable Energy Institute’s “Proposal for the 2030 Energy Mix”

Andrew DeWit

Introduction
On August 6, 2020 Japan’s Renewable Energy Institute (REI) released a lengthy and ambitious “Proposals for the 2030 Energy Mix” (REI, 2020). The REI proposals are aimed Japan’s strategic energy policy, currently under review. The proposals centre on the power sector, perhaps the most crucial element of any “green recovery” from Covid-19’s massive economic impacts. The REI surveys Japan’s electricity system and outlines a "sustainable electricity generation mix" consistent with what the REI views as Japan’s principal challenges in the context of global energy trends and climate policy. In the REI’s estimation, Japan could and should achieve a dramatic revamp of its power mix by 2030. The REI argue that more aggressive policy could allow Japan – in a decade - to attain a 45% share of renewable electricity generation (tripling solar and octupling wind). Over the same period, this massive and rapid expansion of renewable power would be backed up by a huge increase in power generation from natural gas. In tandem, both nuclear power and coal-fired generation would be completely eliminated from the power mix. If achieved, this would rank among the world’s most far-reaching renewable energy programs.

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