Solar’s Wild West Era Ends; Industry Stands on the Verge of its 2.0 Revamp

The era of cowboys in Japan solar is over. The rich Feed-in Tariff (FIT) that opened the country to a solar PV boom from 2012 attracted a hotchpotch crowd. Some simply monetized their earlier land-gr...

Debating Japan’s Draft Basic Energy Plan

On July 21 Japanese policymakers unveiled a draft version of the country’s Sixth Basic Energy Plan. Much like previous iterations of the triennial planning initiative, the goals are both comprehensiv...

Cow Dung vs LNG? Biogas Emerging as Niche Rival in Rural Japan

Japan has scant oil and gas resources, but it has plenty of cow dung. And, apparently, that could emerge as raw material for a niche, clean energy source that could displace LNG in some rural areas.A...

Floating Solar is (Re)Gaining Attention in Japan mid Land Constraints

Japan has no more readily available land for solar – that’s one argument often used by industry skeptics. Whatever your stance, there’s an alternative space where solar power can be installed, and in...

Japan Needs Better Links Between its Two Power Grids

Japan is the only major economy globally to use two power frequencies in its electricity grid. The nation’s system is split between a 60Hz zone in the east and a 50Hz zone in the west, which is a maj...