Friday, June 15, 2012

Japan:

Japan To Set Clean-Energy Subsidies Matching Panel’s Proposals (Bloomberg)

(Courtesy CIA World Fact Book)
Japan is set to announce incentives for renewable-energy generation on June 18 and will endorse the rates proposed by a government panel, an official said today.

The decision is needed for Japan to start a so-called feed- in tariff program on July 1 to increase clean-energy use following the March 2011 nuclear accident.

The five-member panel proposed in late April tariffs for solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and small hydropower and the ministry sought public opinions until June 1. Edano will endorse the tariffs recommended by the panel for all five types of clean energy, said Trade Minister Yukio Edano.

The industry minister’s confirmation will mark the final step in setting the tariffs that will be good until March 2013. The minister will set the terms and rates paid each year.

For geothermal, the panel suggested 27.30 yen a kilowatt-hour for plants with the capacity of 15,000 kilowatts or more and 42 yen for smaller plants, both for 15 years.