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Japan pushes renewables, but keeps nuclear in energy plan through 2050

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makes more sense for a highly distributed system in Japan given the earthquakes and landslides. That way not one point of regional failure, and cannot happen without renewables all across towns in a variety of configurations. One solution will not fit all

That would be really interesting to do!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Nuclear power do not disappear. No renewable power can replace nuclear power generation of vessels.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I do not think any country which today have nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers will stop holding them. On the contrary, they will be building them more of it.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

The report did not set out numerical percentages of the country's future energy mix in 2050. An official at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said it is hard to predict a specific energy scenario as it depends on how technological developments in energy sources progress.

In other words, vested interests will keep nuclear in business for years to come.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Zichi, totally agree with everything you stated. Unfortunately, it's not about reusable energy, saving the planet, saving lives, and so on. It's all about what lines the pockets of lawmakers/politicians the fastest. Greedy fat cats!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Nobody refers to China, Korea and Russia. They plan continue to build nuclear power plants one after another. Japan worries about they will lose know-hows of it by having no nuclear power plant in the country.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Some electric power consumption can be exported such as for IT operations. Cloud DCs, AI back-ends, web services, etc. are easily deployed across virtualized DCs that can be located anywhere. Regions such as Norway, Iceland having hydro (cheap, green, and reliable) power and naturally available DC cooling are tapping into this trend.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How many more meltdown until the UN Security Council yanks control from Japan and bans them from use? 1 more? 3 more? 5?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How many more trillion yen meltdowns by 2050?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japan does not have competent companies in the field of renewable energy and we rely heavily on imports of renewable technology, such as solar panels

Strangely, after reading that, I then read an article about the world's largest offshore wind turbine being installed near Aberdeen *. The turbine was developed by MHI Vestas, a Japanese and Danish joint venture. It seems some Japanese companies have competence in the field.

Some trivia: This wind turbine is part of a wind farm that Donald Trump objected to as it would spoil the view from one of his golf courses. (Do I hear giggling?)

Commenters should do their part in helping Japan and just stop posting...

I was going to vote you up, but then I thought about the cost. :-)

4 ( +4 / -0 )

From a renewable perspective Japan has many energy options. But forever stuck in a rut from fossil fuels it doesn't see it. The percentages are not meaningful because until they try to do things the extent of success isn't going to be known. Japan has to just try

It's not for lack of engineers or ideas, Japan has many students around the world helping with renewable research. It's just not funded at home with the brown envelopes in charge

If Japan however were to get serious it would find it not taking so long at all and in fact it would give locals hope for the future for once

6 ( +6 / -0 )

zichi - exactly.

What's the enviro-footprint of making 1 nuclear power station, it's operating life and inevitable decomissioning - and thats with zero mishaps?

Everything else pales.

And I believe that the absurd 2 grid system - only Japan in the whole wide world - came out of power company rivalry. The country was sliced into two - East (Tokyo rules) and West (Osaka rules). The East used German equipment - 50 hertz and the West used US equipment - 60 hertz.

So the obvious question is then- "Well why didn't they update as industry & technology grew?"

Easy - mega corporations sharing the spoils. Kind of like Power Kingdoms - literally. Until the modern era many appliances only worked in the zone they were configured for. So no cross border trade (E-W).

TEPCO & KEPCO essentially controlled the country. Why would they change!!!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

"Japan pushes renewables"

Why is Japan so insanely behind everyone and so slow to adopt. I am half-way okay with nuclear till 2050, that's fine phase it out. It takes time, but 3/11 should have been a wake up call! That should have been the moment Japan overwhelmingly adopted green energy instead of ramping up coal and LGP.

"If a community wishes to save energy, while providing for a healthy supply of water, they should consider the use of rain cisterns attached to metal roofs -"

You have to be kidding. You are dreaming. We are talking about a society that sits at Family Mart for 2 hours reading manga on their phone with their car running. And buys new cars every 5 years and is per capita is the 2nd highest consumer of paper in the WORLD!

"Eco Japan" is not reality, it is simply a slogan to sell more "eco tires" and buy new "eco aircons". Japan is 2nd only to the USA in consumption of goods and and production of garbage. Its sad that China, while number 1 in many forms of pollution, is number 1 in green energy growth. Japan has a LOT they could learn from China in the last decade.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

If a community wishes to save energy, while providing for a healthy supply of water, they should consider the use of rain cisterns attached to metal roofs - having water nearby may cut down on the amount of energy to pump it. - worth investigating?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Everything gets stitched up here by some clever genius.

One year looking at a sign above the wash basin at school saying: "Please help to save water" I decided to ask around. We have plenty of rivers and reservoirs and dams around here, and I have never heard of water restrictions even in the hottest summer. So, I approached the office staff and the very first person I asked laughed at me. "It means, please help to keep the school's running costs down!" he said. "Huh?" I answered, looking stupid I guess.

"The amount of water in the dams is calculated, and cities and towns in the vicinity are each charged for a certain amount in advance, whether they use it or not, to guarantee that the hydro authorities make maximum profit each year. The price is thus set quite high, so the less water we use here, the less the school has to pay the city, and the more the school benefits!"

Ah, now I understand what "Please help to 節約 setsuyaku (save, cut back on) water" actually means.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

A lot has been made of using off shore wind farms, but the effects that they have on local marine ecosystems and also the cost of maintaining them has yet to be fully realised. Governments are unlikely to spend huge amounts of money on expensive upgrade and repair solutions for sea based industry when they could spend less on land based. In the case of the UK, on shore wind farms are controversial because of their aesthetics and the effect they have on the landscape, so putting them at sea has been championed as a win win, but for the reasons listed above they are not with out problems and are unlikely to solve the problem over night. To compound the issue renewables generators only work well if the energy generated by their construction is carbon neutral as well, likewise the energy in erecting them. All those lorries, trucks, construction equipment and ships will generate carbon and will need to be off set initially. Reducing the effect they have overall for a few years at least.  

Its the same problem electric cars have, its all very well that the car itself generates no emissions but the energy used to put power in the car has to come from somewhere and if that is a carbon based power plant you may as well drive a petrol car. Also in order to create those batteries you have to mine for precious materials, a horrendously polluting industry that is detrimental to the environment and also those mining themselves. Also, at the end when those batteries have to be disposed of, yes bits can be recycled but the large majority will end up being disposed in landfill or burnt! Think on that when you next sit in a Tesla! 

I will admit its a start but its not sustainable at the moment, so, like it or not, unless a significant leap in Fusion technology happens in the next 20 years, you cant ignore nuclear power and it will still have a role to play in meeting carbon emission targets.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

2050 is the approximate year, Japan will get the technology to start preventinting the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Out of control to in control.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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