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Solar power in Japan

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Japan's solar potential

Solar power in Japan has been expanding since the late 1990s. The country is a major manufacturer and exporter of photovoltaics (PV) and a large installer of domestic PV systems, with most of them grid connected.[1]

Solar power has become an important national priority since the country's shift in policies toward renewable energy after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011.[2][3] Japan was the world's second largest market for solar PV growth in 2013 and 2014, adding a record 6.97 GW and 9.74 GW of nominal nameplate capacity, respectively. By the end of 2017, cumulative capacity reached 50 GW, the world's second largest solar PV installed capacity, behind China.[4][5]

In line with the significant rise in installations and capacity, solar power accounted for 9.9% of Japan's national electricity generation in 2022, up from 0.3% in 2010.[6]

Solar manufacturing industry

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Japanese solar cell production (in GW)
  Total    Export    Domestic

Japanese manufacturers and exporters of photovoltaics include Kyocera, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Sanyo, Sharp Solar, Solar Frontier, and Toshiba.

During the Reagan administration in the United States, oil prices decreased and the US removed most of its policies that supported its solar industry.[7]: 143  Government subsidies were higher in Japan (as well as Germany), which prompted the solar industry supply chain to begin moving from the US to those countries.[7]: 143 

Government action

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Feed-in tariff

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The Japanese government is seeking to expand solar power by enacting subsidies and a feed-in tariff (FIT). In December 2008, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced a goal of 70% of new homes having solar power installed, and would be spending $145 million in the first quarter of 2009 to encourage home solar power.[8] The government enacted a feed-in tariff in November 2009 that requires utilities to purchase excess solar power sent to the grid by homes and businesses and pay twice the standard electricity rate for that power.[9]

On June 18, 2012, a new feed-in tariff was approved, of 42 Yen/kWh. The tariff covers the first ten years of excess generation for systems less than 10 kW, and generation for twenty years for systems over 10 kW. It became effective July 1, 2012.[10] In April 2013, the FIT was reduced to 37.8 Yen/kWh.[11] The FIT was further reduced to 32 Yen/kWh in April 2014.[12]

In March 2016, a new feed-in tariff was approved for electricity generated by photovoltaic power. The Procurement Price Calculation Committee compiled and publicized recommendations concerning the FY 2016 purchase prices and the periods to which they apply. Respecting the recommendations, METI finalized these as follows:

  • Non-household customers (10 kW or more): reduced from 27 yen/kWh to 24 yen/kWh.
  • Household customers (10 kW or less) was reduced from 33 yen/kWh to 31 yen/kWh when generators are not required to have output control equipment installed. When generators are required to have output control equipment installed the price was reduced from 35 yen/kWh to 33 yen/kWh.[13]

Residential PV feed-in tariffs for systems below 10 kW were updated in 2017 to values between JPY24/kWh to JPY28/kWh depending on the circumstances. These were due to remain unchanged until 2019.[14]

The most recent FIT only concerns non-residential solar power plants. The new non-residential FIT was due to reduce in 2017 from JPY21/kWh in 2017 to JPY18/kWh for facilities certified in and after April 2018.[14]

Targets

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The government set solar PV targets in 2004 and revised them in 2009:[15]

  • 28 GW of solar PV capacity by 2020
  • 53 GW of solar PV capacity by 2030
  • 10% of total domestic primary energy demand met with solar PV by 2050

The targets set for 2020 were surpassed in 2014, and the target for 2030 was surpassed in 2018.

As of July 2021, Japan was aiming at 108 GW of solar capacity by 2030. In May 2021, the Japanese Trade Ministry said that Japan may require up to 370 GW of solar capacity by 2050 to reach the goal of cutting carbon emissions to zero.[16]

Photovoltaics installed capacity and generation

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Installed PV capacity (in MW)
Year
End 		Total
Capacity 		Yearly
Installation 		Share of national electricity demand
1992 19.0 n/a
1993 24.3 5.3
1994 31.2 6.9
1995 43.4 12.2
1996 59.6 16.2
1997 91.3 31.7
1998 133 41.7
1999 209 76
2000 330 121
2001 453 123
2002 637 184
2003 860 223
2004 1,132 272
2005 1,422 290
2006 1,709 287
2007 1,919 210
2008 2,144 225
2009 2,627 483
2010 3,618 991 0.3%[17]
2011 4,914 1,296 0.5%[18]
2012[19] 6,632 1,718 0.7%[20]
2013[19] 13,599 6,967 1.4%[21]
2014[19] 23,339 9,740 2.4%[22]
2015[19] 34,150 10,811 3.5%[23]
2016[19] 42,040 8,600 4.9%[4]
2017[19] 49,500 7,000 5.9%[24]
2018[19] 56,162 6,500 6.8%[25]
2019[19] 63,192 7.6%[26]
2020[19] 71,868
2021[19] 78,413
2022[27] 83,057
2023[28] 87,068
Source: EPIA and IEA-PVPS. All nominal capacity figures are reconverted from WAC to Wp.[29][30]
2,500
5,000
7,500
10,000
12,500
15,000
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
Yearly Installation – Annually installed PV capacity in megawatts since 1992
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
Total Capacity – Cumulative installed PV capacity in megawatts since 1992
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
Module prices of residential solar pv in Japan 1992–2015 (JPY/W) Source: iea-pvps.org

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cumulative Installed Solar Photovoltaics Capacity in Leading Countries and the World, 2000-2013". Earth Policy Institute. June 18, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  2. ^ "Solar Energy in Japan – Summary". GENI. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. ^ Chisaki Watanabe (August 26, 2011). "Japan Spurs Solar, Wind Energy With Subsidies, in Shift From Nuclear Power". Bloomberg.
  4. ^ a b "Snapshot of Global Photovoltaic Markets 2017" (PDF). report. International Energy Agency. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  5. ^ Pv-magazine FEBRUARY 15, 2018. "Japan will likely install 6 GW to 7.5 GW (DC) of solar in 2018, from about 7 GW in 2017..."
  6. ^ "Share of electricity production from solar: Japan". Our World In Data. 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  7. ^ a b Lan, Xiaohuan (2024). How China Works: An Introduction to China's State-led Economic Development. Translated by Topp, Gary. Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1007/978-981-97-0080-6. ISBN 978-981-97-0079-0.
  8. ^ "Japan renews focus on solar power - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  9. ^ Soto, Shigeru (2010-02-09). "Japan's Solar Panel Sales Rise to Record on Subsidy (Update1)". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
  10. ^ "Japan Approves Feed-in Tariffs". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  11. ^ "Bloomberg Profile". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  12. ^ Chisaki Watanabe (March 2014). "Japan Cuts Subsidy for Solar Power, Boosts Offshore Wind". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  13. ^ "Settlement of FY 2016 Purchase Prices and FY 2016 Surcharge Rates under the Feed-in Tariff Scheme for Renewable Energy（METI）". Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  14. ^ a b "Japan to slash feed-in-tariffs for solar plants this year". AsianPower. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  15. ^ Yamamoto, Masamichi; Ikki, Osamu (2010-05-28). "National survey report of PV Power Applications in Japan 2009" (PDF). International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  16. ^ "Every Roof in Japan Could Have Solar Panels in the Future". Bloomberg News. 6 July 2021.
  17. ^ Masamichi Yamamoto & Osamu Ikki (2011-07-15). "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Japan - 2010". International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  18. ^ Hiroyuki Yamada & Osamu Ikki (2012-05-31). "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Japan - 2011". International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Capacity statistics 2022 irena.org
  20. ^ Hiroyuki Yamada & Osamu Ikki (2014-08-27). "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Japan - 2013". International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  21. ^ Hiroyuki Yamada & Osamu Ikki (2014-08-27). "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Japan - 2013". International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  22. ^ Hiroyuki Yamada & Osamu Ikki (2015-07-10). "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Japan - 2014". International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  23. ^ "iea-pvps.org - National Reports". www.iea-pvps.org. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
  24. ^ "Home". IEA-PVPS. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Home". IEA-PVPS. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  26. ^ Capacity statistics 2021 irena.org
  27. ^ [1] developmentaid.org
  28. ^ [2] developmentaid.org
  29. ^ "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Japan - 2012 - Third Version". International Energy Agency. 2013-06-10. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
  30. ^ "Global 2013 solar installs hit 37GW: EPIA". PV-Tech. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
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