Can Japan switch to a renewable future?

Climate change is a worldwide crisis. We will feel its worst effects in the future if we do not take action. However, some areas of the world are already facing the consequences of global warming.

While fighting climate change is a multi-faceted issue, switching to renewable energy sources and reducing greenhouse gases are both crucial factors. How is Japan doing in this regard? Can the country transition to a future with 100% renewable energy?

Japan’s renewable energy plan and obstacles

Japan does have a plan in place for renewables and reducing carbon emissions. The nation’s 5th Strategic Energy Plan was approved in 2018. The goals listed in the plan include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26% and increasing the amount of renewable energy sources used to 22-24% by 2030. However, some have criticized the plan as not being comparable to what other countries have already achieved. Some European countries, for example, already have up to a 30% rate of renewable energy.

Reducing costs is one obstacle Japan has to overcome. Electricity costs increased in the years following the tragic Great East Japan Earthquake. Nuclear plant shutdowns meant that Japan increased its reliance on thermal power and other energy sources. In addition, the country introduced a Feed in Tariff system in 2012. This helped increase renewable energy by having electricity from renewable sources be purchased at fixed rates. However, the costs were passed on to consumers.

Each individual renewable energy source also has unique issues in Japan. The country already has large scale hydroelectricity dams installed in the most suitable areas. In fact, Japan has a lot of potential for geothermal energy, but geothermal plants can take more than a decade to develop, and many of Japan’s most high potential sites are in mountainous regions. Additionally, solar and wind are highly dependent on weather, which poses difficulties for a country which often faces rainy seasons, typhoons and natural disasters.

Every country has its unique issues to deal with when transitioning to renewables. Unfortunately, no nation can completely stop its carbon emissions overnight. Japan needs innovative solutions which address its specific obstacles.

Solar sharing could be a solution

One recent example is the idea of solar sharing. This is a system which utilizes agricultural land to help generate solar electricity. Crops do not need all of the sunlight they receive to grow. The idea behind solar sharing is to use some of that excess sunlight to generate solar power. Solar sharing involves panels installed above farmland which have gaps that allow the necessary amount of sunlight to reach the crops. One advantage is that this reduces the amount of land needed to install solar panels.

Of course, solar sharing is not an instant solution. Financing and policy barriers are problems for farmers who want to participate in solar sharing. Nonetheless, it is still a creative idea that keeps Japan’s particular conditions in mind in the efforts to increase renewable energy. In fact, many urban areas in Japan have agricultural land surrounding them, which could be used for solar sharing.

It remains to be seen whether Japan can achieve a renewable future, let alone its modest goals for 2030. Currently, only 18.5% of Japan’s energy sources come from renewables, which is not far from its stated goal of 22-24%.

Higher targets along with careful thought about how to achieve those targets within the Japanese context are needed. There is no easy path to increasing renewable energy, but more ambitious goals are needed to secure a better future for Japan and the rest of the world.