Japan’s unseasonal curb highlights power instability
Energy supply is still missing its nuclear ‘third leg’ and a huge expansion of renewables is urgently needed
A request from the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan to curb use of non-essential electrical appliances this month highlights the need for decisive action to embrace renewable energy. Japanese peak demand usually comes in summer due to air-conditioning use, says Stefan Le Du, climate project manager at the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Co-operation in Tokyo. Winter peaks leading to requests to avoid non-essential appliances are more unusual, he says. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said the current 2030 national target for greenhouse gas reduction will be raised before Cop26. Increasing the use of nuclear power to do so remains fraught with political danger. “The only optio
Also in this section
26 March 2024
Country has Europe’s largest CO₂ storage potential but regulatory and policy issues must be resolved to enable growth, says Offshore Energies UK
26 March 2024
Largest investment to date will support emission reduction projects across multiple sectors including refining, steel and cement
19 March 2024
Commodity trading companies are set for a key role in shaping green supply chains and providing carbon market liquidity
15 March 2024
Oil major explores potential expansion of Canadian project as investment in CCS gathers pace