Japan is betting on renewables with strength and aims for them to be its main source of energy by 2040. In this way, reducing its dependence on coal and gas and achieving carbon neutrality.
These are the plans of the Japanese government, as announced this Tuesday. Nuclear energy will also help meet the energy demand of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological innovations.
Japan bets on renewables: government plans
The Japanese government has stated that it aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Under these new plans, renewable sources such as solar and wind power will have to account for 40% to 50% of electricity generation by 2040.
Japan’s plan for renewable energies.
This implies a jump from the 23% recorded last year and from a previous target of 38% for 2030.
The Asian country “will aim to maximize the use of renewable energy as the main source of energy,” according to the draft of the Strategic Energy Plan released on Tuesday.
The plan is currently under review by government specialists and will then be presented to the cabinet for approval.
How Japan meets energy demand
Around 70% of Japan’s energy demand in 2023 was covered by coal, gas, and oil plants, mostly imported raw materials.
Authorities now aim to reduce that figure to between 30% and 40% by 2040.
The new plans foresee an increase of 10% to 20% in overall electricity generation by 2040, from 985.000 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2023.
The plan disclosed by the Natural Resources and Energy Agency no longer aims to reduce the dependence on nuclear energy “as much as possible,” as was proposed after the Fukushima accident caused by a tsunami.
Since then, all nuclear plants in the country were shut down, but they have gradually been restarted and Tokyo expects to have them all operational this year.
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