Japan:

Japanese Government Plans to Promote Geothermal Power (Chicago Tribune)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The Japanese government will revise the current feed-in tariff system, which requires power companies to purchase electricity generated by solar power and other renewable energy sources at fixed prices, to make utilities buy more electricity from geothermal power generation, sources said.

While maintaining its policy of promoting the use of renewable energy, the government is trying to correct the system's current overemphasis on solar power, to control the rise of electricity rates by lowering the feed-in tariffs for solar power.

Geothermal power is said to be economical in price and stable in supply.

The government plans to begin discussions on the revision Wednesday at the meeting of a subgroup of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy under the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, the sources said. It intends to decide on a final course by the end of this year.

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