Japan plans new renewable tariffs

subscribe

Japan plans to make the power sector buy electricity from a wider range of renewable energy sources than it does currently in a feed-in tariff incentive scheme from the year starting April 2012.

The government is expected to submit related bills for the new scheme during the current parliament session, aiming to make electricity low-carbon and to support a clean-energy market.

Currently, Japan's 10 power companies are required to pay 48 yen 60 cents US per kilowatt hour for surplus solar electricity from house owners and 24 yen per kwh for the surplus from small businesses and are allowed to add on the extra costs to users evenly.

Below are some of the main points that differentiate the existing scheme effective in the business year starting in April, from the new scheme based on a set of proposals a government advisory panel approved recently.

For 2011/2012:

• 10 power companies only buy surplus solar from small-lot suppliers.

• Prices for house owners will be cut to 42 yen per kwh as prices of solar panels are on the decline.

• Prices for small businesses will be raised to 40 yen per kwh to lessen the impact of the government's ending subsidies for installation.

For 2012/2013 and onwards:

• Not only 10 power companies but also independent power producers IPP will buy electricity from renewable sources.

• Their buying will last for 15 years.

• It will apply to electricity from solar, wind, biomass, small-scale hydro and geothermal power — except for surplus electricity only from household solar suppliers.

• Prices for wind, small-sized hydro, biomass, geothermal will be either 15 yen or 20 yen per kwh.

• Prices for solar are to be decided later.

• There will be no difference in surcharges from one company to another as power producers will pass their total payments to users evenly nationwide.

Related News

Climate change: Electrical industry's 'dirty secret' boosts warming

LONDON - Sulphur hexafluoride, or SF6, is widely used in the electrical industry to prevent short circuits and accidents.

But leaks of the little-known gas in the UK and the rest of the EU in 2017 were the equivalent of putting an extra 1.3 million cars on the road.

Levels are rising as an unintended consequence of the green energy boom.

Cheap and non-flammable, SF6 is a colourless, odourless, synthetic gas. It makes a hugely effective insulating material for medium and high-voltage electrical installations.

It is widely used across the industry, from large power stations to wind turbines to electrical sub-stations in towns and…

READ MORE
turkey in the oven

Christmas electricity spike equivalent to roasting 1.5 million turkeys: BC Hydro

READ MORE

oil rig

Global oil demand to decline in 2020 as Coronavirus weighs heavily on markets

READ MORE

indian nuclear power plant

Indian government takes steps to get nuclear back on track

READ MORE

french-diesel-prices-return-to-pre-ukrainian-conflict-levels

Diesel Prices Return to Pre-Ukrainian Conflict Levels

READ MORE