By Suvendrini Kakuchi
TOKYO, May 14 1999 (IPS)

Japan may be a world leader in technology but is at the bottom of the list when it comes to the development of renewable energy for the generation of electricity say environmentalists here.

Japan derives a mere 2.4 percent of its electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar power compared to five percent in the U.S and 12 percent in the European Union says Yurika Ayukawa, a green energy expert at the World Wide Life Fund, Japan.

Analysts cite lack of knowledge of green technologies and low environmental consciousness among Japanese politicians and bureaucrats as reasons why this country lags in this area.

Environmentalists have long campaigned for more financial support for the growth of green energies in rich countries towards meeting the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions fixed at the third Conference of the Parties (COP3) at Kyoto in 1997.

“The stress is on nuclear energy which the government explains as the best energy form that will not harm the environment. But this is certainly not the solution,” says Ayukawa.

Professor Hiroshi Shimizu of the Mie University who is also an advisor to the government on wind power says the government can meet carbon di-oxide target reduction targets if it strives to make renewable energies supply 10 percent of Japan’s electricity needs.

“Japan has to meet Kyoto emission targets and the government will be able to meet half the requirement by just increasing the construction of windmills by 100 percent,” he explained.

While the government wants to increase nuclear power supply to meet a promised reduction target of six percent by the 2010 compared with 1990 levels, environmentalist say it must be done by increasing production from alternate energy sources.

Nuclear power already supplies 30 percent of Japan’s energy needs followed by oil at 21 percent and coal another 18.2 percent.

A plan to deregulate Japan’s state-controlled utility companies is also expected to increase the supply of electricity from cheaper but environmentally destructive fossil fuels such as coal fired power plants.

Companies are now competing to gain a foothold in the lucrative power industry in time to take advantage of a new scheme by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to allow direct sale of electricity to customers.

Currently companies are protesting against high rates demanded by the government for the right to use existing power lines and grids which they say will hamper privatisation.

Environmental organisations accuse the government of presenting a deregulation scheme that is environmentally destructive because it failed to include a renewable energy portfolio.

“The government has failed to set environmental standards by not introducing a renewable energy portfolio in the new deregulation scheme which may have compelled new power companies to observe global warming reduction targets,” Ayukawa stresses.

Despite the gloomy picture, environmentalists say growing public opposition against nuclear power plants and pressure from grass-roots organisations have served as an important wake-up call to the government.

A new government energy policy that pledges increased capital in the form of financial subsidies to companies involved in the development of renewable energies is now being formulated.

The government announced a plan in April to provide half the cost undertaken by local governments to construct large-scale wind mills with a capacity of 1500 kw of electricity.

Private companies will be supported with a third of the costs of building wind mills while the government has set aside a budget of a USD nine million for the next two years for the development of renewable energy.

“With state help we have set up 26 windmills that generate 400 kw each,” says Akira Endo spokesperson for Echo Power, a small company which sells wind-generated power to the giant utility Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO).

The going has been tough. It cost Echo Power USD 16,000 to construct two windmills at Ibargai prefecture outside Tokyo. And the big utilities pay just USD 3,000 yen per kw.

Endo says his company stays afloat on government subsidies. “But the business will grow once wind power becomes widespread and more windmills with bigger capacity are constructed,” he said hopefully.

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