Japan Looks To Renewables; Role Of Nuke Plants Still Unclear

Japan aims to increase its reliance on renewable energy in achieving net-zero emissions and the role of nuclear power in achieving that appears to be elusive even in the government's energy plan approved by the Cabinet about a week ahead of Sunday's election, Takaki Tominaga reported for Kyodo News.

Photo Insert: A mountain of wind turbines in Shimonoseki, Japan

The plan outlines ways to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and cut greenhouse gas emissions 46 percent in fiscal 2030 from fiscal 2013 levels, an ambitious leap from the previous reduction target of 26 percent.

The government aims to have renewables account for 36 to 38 percent of Japan's total power generation capacity in fiscal 2030, more than double the 18 percent recorded in fiscal 2019, while the percentage of fossil-fuel-fired thermal power has been slashed to 41 percent, down from 76 percent.

But the percentage for nuclear power remains unchanged at 20 to 22 percent from the previous plan, released in 2018.

The status of many nuclear plants in 2030 and thereafter is unclear considering the facilities' 40-year operating limit and other regulatory hurdles, and there has been no public consensus on whether the country should continue to use nuclear power beyond 2050 either.

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