Japan boosts renewable energy target for 2030 energy mix

OBAYASHI

21/07/2021 07:06

TOKYO, July 21 (Reuters) - Japan will raise its target for
renewable energy in the country's electricity mix for 2030 as it
pushes to cut emissions to meet commitments under international
agreements on climate change, according to a draft of its latest
energy policy.
    The country's revised basic energy strategy leaves unchanged
its target for nuclear power, even though the country has
struggled to return the industry to its former central role
after the Fukushima disaster of 2011.
    The industry ministry's policy draft released on Wednesday
says renewables should account for 36-38% of power supplies in
2030, double the level of 18% in the financial year to March
2020. The earlier target was for renewables to contribute 22-24%
of electricity in 2030.
    The use of coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, will be reduced
to 19% from 26% under the new plan.
    Gas, which comes to Japan in the form of imported liquefied
natural gas, will make up most of the rest of the fossil fuel
portion of the target energy mix, which was set at 41%, down
from 56%.
    Japan's nuclear target was left unchanged at 20-22%. New
fuels like hydrogen and ammonia will account for about 1% of the
electricity mix in 2030, the draft said.
    As the urgency to tackle climate change grows, the revised
2030 energy plan is an "ambitious one", instead of "an ideal
vision" as in the past, an official at the industry ministry
said. 
    The change comes after Japan nearly doubled its 2030 target
for cutting carbon emissions in April, to 46% from 26% on 2013
levels, responding to pressure from the United States as world
leaders met for a climate summit hosted by U.S. President Joe
Biden.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2MF0MU
    Many experts say the nuclear target will difficult to
achieve in the wake of the Fukushima disaster which led to a big
shift in public opinion after it exposed industry and regulator
failings and led to the shutdown of all the country's reactors.
    Nine reactors are operating now, the highest number since
the disaster. The country had 54 operable reactors previously.
 JAPAN/O   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2OS07H
    The draft did not mention building new nuclear plants or
replacing plants, which some industry and corporate executives
had urged the government to include.
    Japan aims to reduce its reliance on nuclear power as much
as possible while it boosts renewable power capacity, but
nuclear power will remain as an important base-load power
source, the draft says.
    The industry ministry declined to comment on when the
revised energy plan will be finalised. The government revises
its basic energy plan once every three to four years.     

 (Reporting by Ritsuko Shimizu, Yuka Obayashi;
Writing by Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Kim Coghill)
 ((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com; +813-4520-1265;))