Japan is stepping up efforts to expand renewable energy to achieve its carbon neutral goal by 2050. Solar power generation is among the most prominent, although it is increasingly looking to new technology that is commercially unproven.
Japan's trade and industry ministry (Meti) on 29 May launched a public-private joint council with 150 organisations participating. This aims to expand solar power generation with a special focus on the new solar power technology perovskite, which is a lightweight bendable film attachable to even the wall of the building of any shape.
Meti plans to set a generation target exclusively for perovskite, aiming to announce this as early as this autumn, although the specific target year is still unknown. Under the current basic energy policy, Japan plans to lift solar output to 129-146TWh by 2030, up from 92.6TWh in the April 2022-March 2023, although this goal may be revised during this year's review of the policy.
Meti in May started a discussion of the basic energy policy, which is due for review every three years. This time plan will be hugely different from previously, said Petroleum Association of Japan chairman Shunichi Kito on 30 May, given that the country needs to shift fundamental assumptions about electricity demand.
Perovskite will play a key role to boost solar power generation in Japan, as the mountainous country is facing difficulty installing conventional solar panels that require flat areas. Japan's solar power capacity per flat area is already at 514kW/km², leading the major advanced economies with its closest rival Germany at 243kW/km², according to Meti.
But it remains unclear if perovskite will be economically feasible, given that it is commercially unproven. Meti, along with private-sector firms, are carrying out trials, aiming to achieve ¥20/kWh ($128.60/MWh) of generation costs with perovskite. This is almost double that of a conventional solar panel, according to a Meti official. Whether the perovskite market will grow globally is another issue to consider, as a limited market could weigh on its manufacturers to lower production costs.
The new technology is gaining attention in Japan to ensure its decarbonisation and energy security, especially when the future of the nuclear industry is still uncertain.
Wind boost
Japan is also accelerating the roll-out of wind power capacity, aiming to install 23.6GW by 2030, including 5.7GW offshore and 17.9GW onshore. It is eyeing the development of offshore wind farms, especially by promoting floating technology. Tokyo aims to have offshore wind projects of 10GW by 2030 and 30-45GW by 2040.
Tokyo has agreed to new legislation that will allow the construction of wind power facilities in its exclusive economic zone, beyond its territorial and internal waters regulated under current laws, while striving to protect the marine environment. It is aiming to pass the amended legislation in an ordinary parliament session that will end on 23 June.
Japan is under pressure to secure clean power sources to meet rising electricity demand from domestic semiconductor facilities and data centres, which are being driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence.
