Solar PV capacity growth in Japan has been facilitated by a number of government schemes that have been implemented since 1994. Publicly available capacity data are provided by a number of agencies and organisations at various resolutions and at different stages within these schemes. This study provides a comprehensive review of solar PV data sources in Japan between 1994 and 2019, as well as an introduction to the subsidy schemes and organisations involved in scheme management and data collection in Japan. As a result, the authors produced their own dataset of installed capacities and generation across time for the various regions. Lastly, this study provides insights and recommendations to policy makers regarding opportunities for improving the accessibility and quality of data from a user perspective and to enhance Japan’s presence in international research.
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<p>As part of its economy-wide decarbonization target towards 2050, Japan plans to increase renewable generation, especially offshore wind, for which the country has a high potential. However, this resource is currently under-developed as available turbines are prone to shut-downs and can even suffer damage during the passage of typhoons. With new typhoon proof (T-class) turbines being currently developed by various companies, Japan now aims to develop 10 GW of offshore wind between 2021 and 2030, and 91 GW in the long-term. This research estimates the impact of integrating offshore wind into the Japanese main power grid using T-class turbines by considering three scenarios. First, a business-as-usual (BAU) case with 10 GW offshore wind capacity (following the 6<sup>th</sup> Strategic Energy Plan of Japan). Second, an offshore wind capacity of 91 GW. Third, the 91 GW offshore capacity being redistributed amongst regions to maximize its integration opportunities (Scenario 2). The simulations were carried out using the Energy System simulation model (EnSym). The results show that the BAU and Scenario 1 resulted in offshore wind achieving 1.7% and 7.28% of generation share, respectively, increasing to 9.77% for Scenario 2. Increasing the share of offshore wind in the energy mix mainly replaced liquefied natural gas (LNG).</p>
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