Japan's new basic energy plan

Abstract

a b s t r a c tIn June 2010, the Japanese cabinet adopted a new Basic Energy Plan (BEP). This was the third such plan that the government has approved since the passage of the Basic Act on Energy Policy in 2002, and it represents the most significant statement of Japanese energy policy in more than four years, since the publication of the New National Energy Strategy (NNES) in 2006. Perhaps more than its predecessors, moreover, the new plan establishes a number of ambitious targets as well as more detailed measures for achieving those targets. Among the targets are a doubling of Japan's ''energy independence ratio,'' a doubling of the percentage of electricity generated by renewable sources and nuclear power, and a 30 percent reduction in energy-related CO 2 emissions, all by 2030. This paper explains the origins of the 2010 BEP and why it was adopted. It then describes the content of the plan and how it differs from the NNES. A third section analyzes the appropriateness of the new goals and targets contained in the BEP and their feasibility, finding that achievement of many of the targets was likely to be quite challenging even before the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis.

Impacts of demographic, meteorological, and economic changes on household CO2 emissions in the 47 prefectures of Japan

“…As described in the 2010 basic energy plan (METI 2010), the Japanese government had assumed a substantial increase in nuclear power generation to achieve ambitious mid-term targets related to low carbon power generation (Duffield and Woodall 2011). However, after the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant caused by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese government revised the 2010 basic energy plan (ANRE 2011), and all nuclear power plants were shut down for stress testing by May 2012 (FEPC 2012b).…”

Nuclear Policy and Regulation in Japan after Fukushima: Navigating the Crisis

“…Energy industry members have input into national energy policy through their participation in government advisory bodies and industrial federations or specific industrial lobbying groups, such as the Federation of Electric Power Companies (Denjiren). The Denjiren has opposed the entrance into the market of any rival power-generating actors, seeking to preserve members' monopoly control and ownership of both nuclear and thermal facilities (Duffield and Woodall 2011). The electric utilities are METI's main client and, consequently, there is a strong convergence of interests between the two.…”

Japan’s 2014 Strategic Energy Plan: A Planned Energy System Transition

“…Duffield and Woodall [2] described Japan's 2010 Basic Energy Plan (BEP 1 ) in detail and analyzed the appropriateness and feasibility of its goals and targets using a descriptive approach.…”