Renewable Energy Promotion Programs
Summary
This is a general term for programs that promote renewable energy (wind power, photovoltaic, biomass, hydropower, geothermal, and so on) as a means of addressing climate change and promoting regional sustainable development. Many prefectures and major cities in Japan have established renewable energy targets for 2010. Tokyo and Yokohama have set particularly high targets.
The main frameworks forming the basis for local government initiatives include "renewable portfolio standard" (RPS) schemes of the national government (requiring electrical power companies to procure a certain percentage of their supply from renewable energy), tax incentives, subsidies to help cover initial installation costs, and the use of "green" certification for electricity and heat. There are also plans to launch a system in fiscal 2010 for purchasing surplus electricity generated from solar power (requiring non-industrial power transmission companies to pay a certain price for electricity from renewable energy sources).
Other measures are also being implemented to expand the use of renewable energy by corporations, individuals and communities in ways that are locally adapted: examples include the promotion of green power certification businesses, new citizen-funded non-profit organizations, businesses involving citizen participation, and the mandatory use of a certain amount of renewable energy in the construction of new offices and in buildings. By providing information on renewable energy and on related initiatives (such as programs involving Climate Change Action Plans programs and Energy and Environmental Plans programs), some local governments also have programs that promote social recognition for good efforts and also make the connection to investment and lending criteria of financial institutions.
Examples
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Tokyo has a target of raising the renewable energy ratio in the city’s energy consumption to about 20% by 2020. In addition to “renewable portfolio standard” (RPS) programs and subsidies at the national level, through “Climate Change Action Plan” programs, “Green Building Plan” programs, and “Energy and Environmental Plan” programs there are also efforts to encourage large businesses to proactively adopt renewable energy and the use of green power certificates.
A variety of other policies are being rolled out, such as a “Green Electricity Purchasing Program” to use renewable energy and in the city’s facilities, low-energy (passive solar, etc,) housing projects, efforts to shift from fuel oils to biomass fuels in the commercial sector, the introduction of solar water heaters and photovoltaic systems, and the promotion of biomass fuels for use in cars. In addition, besides projects to install renewable energy in public facilities using citizen financing combined with funds from non-profit organizations and the private sector, the city is implementing a subsidy program to install residential solar energy devices in 40,000 households over two years starting in 2010, with the aim of adding the equivalent of one million kilowatts of solar capacity in the metropolitan region by 2016.
Tokyo Renewable Energy Strategy (New window will open.)
Iida City, Nagano Prefecture
Iida City, which aims for integrated use of solar and “forest” energy, was recognized for its own initiatives to reduce GHG emissions, when it was selected as an Eco Model City in 2009 under a national government program. The city has declared a target of installing photovoltaic systems in 30% of all households by 2010 and reducing CO2 emissions by 70% from 2005 levels by 2050.
It has made a variety of innovations. For example, it established the shareholder-owned Ohisama Shimpo Energy Co., Ltd and Iida Machi Dukuri Company, which carry out citizen-funded environmental projects for the public good through government-citizen cooperation. With citizen cooperation it operates solar power systems by installing rooftop photovoltaic generation equipment on public facilities, business premises, and houses. The city has also introducedi subsidy and financing programs, such as its own Feed-in Tariffs program that makes long-term commitments to pay fair prices for electricity generated from solar power.
In the redevelopment of its commercial zone, the city is promoting mainly the use of renewable energy with what it calls “Commercial Zone Eco-Energy Management,” using the “Town Eco-Energy System,” which creates demand and supply for locally-produced renewable energy such as solar energy and woody biomass. Iida City’s “Minami Shinshu Environmental Management System 21” is also being put to use regionally, and by expanding solar power generation in cooperation with energy conservation businesses, the city is incorporating environmental management practices into business activities.
