Japan new policy seeks half renewables and nuclear

A Japan-based, government-commissioned panel of experts on Wednesday largely supported the country’s new energy policy for the next few years.

It calls for bolstering renewables up to half of electricity needs by 2040, while maximising the use of nuclear power as the country seeks to accommodate the growing power demand in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) while meeting decarboniastion targets.

The industry ministry presented the draft plan for final review by the panel of 16 mostly pro-nuclear members from business, academia and civil groups. It calls for maximising the use of nuclear energy, reversing a phase-out policy adopted after the meltdown crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in 2011 that led to extensive displacement of residents, and lingering anti-nuclear sentiment.

The plan is due to receive Cabinet approval by March after a period of consultation and will then replace the current energy policy, which dates from 2021. The new proposal says nuclear energy should account for 20 per cent of Japan’s energy supply in 2040, up from just 8.5 per cent last year, while expanding renewables to 40-50 per cent from 22.9 per cent, and reducing coal-fired power to 30-40 per cent from nearly 70 per cent last year.

Demand for low-carbon energy, such as renewables and nuclear, is growing because of the demand from data centers using AI and semiconductor factories around the country.

Industry Minister Yoji Muto, who attended Wednesday’s panel meeting, said Japan must strengthen its energy security by not relying too much on a single source.

“How we can secure decarbonised energy determines Japan’s future growth,” Muto said. “It’s time to stop discussing a choice between renewable energy and nuclear power. We should maximise the use of both renewables and nuclear.”

Japan has set a goal of achieving net zero emissions of climate-warming gases by 2050, and a 73 per cent reduction by 2040, compared to 2013 levels.

The draft energy plan places renewables as the main power source and calls for development of next-generation energy source, such as solar batteries and portable solar panels.

It outlines a number of risk scenarios, including a possibility of less-than-expected investment and cost reduction in renewables. However, some experts said the plan lacked a feasibility outlook for 2040 or a road map for the phase-out of fossil fuels.

The plan also calls for acceleration of the restarts of reactors that meet the post-Fukushima safety standards, and proposes construction of next-generation reactors—at plants where existing reactors are being decommissioned.

Still, to achieve the 20 per cent target, all 33 workable reactors in Japan must be back online, with only 14 back in service after the Fukushima disaster. Given the current pace of safety checks by the nuclear regulation authority, experts say meeting the target would be difficult.

Despite criticisms and scepticism about its feasibility, Japan still sticks to its pursuit of developing advanced reactors and a struggling spent fuel reprocessing programme to achieve a complete nuclear fuel cycle.

– AP