- JCI has called upon the Japanese government to increase the overall share of renewable energy in the national energy mix by 2030 to between 40% to 50%
- It has found support from 201 local companies, 15 local governments and 69 organizations to up the pressure
- They demand the country to accelerate renewable energy development centered around wind and solar energy that’s free of geopolitical challenges and to reduce its reliance on heavy fossil fuels
- While solar is booming around the world, in 2021, Japan installed the lowest solar capacity since 2012
As Japan gets ready to formulate its Clean Energy Strategy in June 2022, a climate network of non-state actors Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) has found support from 285 organizations to demand the government increase its renewable energy target from 36% to 38% by 2030 to between 40% to 50%.
In October 2021, the Japanese cabinet had approved a plan to take up its renewable energy target in the national electricity mix from 22% to 24% as aimed for previously.
The call from JCI to promote the development of renewables as wind and solar power in the country, has come at a time when Japan is in the midst of formulating its Clean Energy Strategy that’s due for June 2022. An open message to the government shares that the cost of solar in Japan has already come under JPY 10 per kWh and companies are increasingly opting for renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPA) to decarbonize their businesses.
Local governments are also promoting its uptake with the establishment of renewable energy promotion zones and favorable regulations.
The stakeholders also point at the destabilization of the world’s energy supply with the Russian invasion of Ukraine to drive home the fact that Japan—like any other country in the world—needs to accelerate renewable energy deployment to have an energy supply that’s independent of geopolitical climate.
“The situation in Ukraine has also revealed the vulnerability of nuclear power during times of crisis or war, and its weakness in sustainability remains the same, with no established method for the disposal of radioactive waste,” reads the message that claims Japan’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels creates significant instability in the markets during oil and gas price fluctuations.
JCI says this is the 1st time that Japanese companies (201), local governments (15) and organizations/NGOs (69) have come together to demand stronger action by the government on climate change. Back in January 2021, JCI found support in 92 companies for the same demand (see Japanese Businesses Push For Higher 2030 RE Target).
The list of endorsers includes 86 Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime listed companies from various industries, Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union, lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, universities and research institutions, among others.
As per the SolarPower Europe’s (SPE) latest Global Market Outlook (GMO) report Japan was the world’s 4th largest solar market in 2021 having installed 6.4 GW capacity last year which declined 21% YoY. (see Global Cumulative PV Capacity Exceeds 1 TW). At a time solar is booming across the world, according to the GMO, Japan’s solar market is on a general downward trend and installed in 2021 the lowest annual solar capacity since 2012.
