Hyogo launches subsidy scheme to boost solar and biomass energy

Hyogo Prefecture has announced a new five-year subsidy programme to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, aiming to advance its 2050 carbon neutrality goals. The programme will provide financial support for solar power and wood biomass installations.

The scheme comes as a part of the prefecture’s “Energy Local Production for Local Consumption & Satoyama Regeneration Project.” It seeks to build a sustainable, decentralised energy system by promoting solar power for self-consumption in urban areas and encouraging the use of local wood biomass. The project is supported by funding from the national Ministry of the Environment.

For non-residential properties, the programme offers two types of solar power subsidies. Businesses installing rooftop solar systems through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or lease model can receive 50,000 yen per kilowatt, up to a maximum of 100 kW. For solar carport installations, a subsidy covering one-third of the cost, up to a maximum of 5 million yen, is available for systems that are self-owned, leased, or part of a PPA.

A residential subsidy programme is scheduled to launch in autumn 2025. Homeowners in designated municipalities will be eligible for 70,000 yen per kilowatt for solar power systems up to 5 kW, and a subsidy covering one-third of the cost for a compatible battery storage system. The residential aid is conditional on the joint installation of both solar panels and a battery.

A separate subsidy will also be available for businesses in the prefecture wishing to install wood biomass boilers. The project will run from fiscal year 2025 to 2029.