Japan presents a desirable national case study on the blank force transition. Reuters notes that, for the first time since a major earthquake and tsunami paralyzed the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011 and killed some 16,000 people, Japan has not made any state monuments for the anniversary of this year’s crisis.
At the same time, Nippon informs a parliamentary organization of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), saying that the Japanese government will have to temporarily restart more nuclear power plants, to triumph over the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which are “dangerous” for Japan’s supply of force.
Moreover, the LDP and its coalition spouse have just won a landslide victory in an election for the upper space held following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The LDP won 63 seats, more than a portion of the 125 seats to be filled in the July 10 election, local media reported. With Japan at a political and power crossroads, this may be the most productive time to invest in an unknown energy source, such as geothermal energy.
Fatih Birol, head of the 2021 International Energy Agency (IEA), writes in the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Japan Policy Review states that nearly a decade after the 2011 earthquake and the resulting Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan has made genuine progress towards creating a more efficient energy system, resilient and sustainable.
It says it has carried out fundamental reforms of its energy market and diversified its energy mix. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions have declined since peaking in 2013, thanks to the expansion of renewable energy, the restart of some nuclear power plants, and power gains. . In 2018, Japan’s emissions had declined to a point last noted in 2009.
However, doubts remain as to whether the long term of the Japanese force will depend more on geothermal or nuclear strength. Ten years ago, nuclear power forced about a quarter of their needs. Geothermal strength can help, but the time to expand your pipeline is short in comparison. to the general objectives and there is a long hill to climb for geo, in front of a political scenario that might be tempted to return to the strength of the atom.
Some food for thought; The Renewable Energy Institute (REI) writes that in Iceland: almost one hundred percent of electrical energy and heat comes from renewable resources, 66% from the direct use of geothermal resources, and about 90% of homes in Iceland are heated through geothermal resources. Geothermal energy alone supplies 20% of the country’s electrical energy.
It has been calculated that with the same geothermal use as Iceland, Japan could upgrade up to 25 nuclear reactors.
Perhaps more realistically, IEA 2021 research indicates that wind and geothermal power has “great” potential in Japan and can complement the emissions discounts achieved by the expansion of nuclear and solar power.
The IEA says more efforts are needed to expand renewable technologies, adding geothermal energy. Part of the challenge lies in the limitations of the network and connectivity between Japanese regional networks. Regulatory reform can help the operation of the electric power system, allowing the integration of larger reserves. of variable renewables, however, this is a challenge shared by countries like the UK.
Japan not only wants more geothermal facilities, but also more batteries, greater load balancing, and regulatory and demand-side intelligence.
By any estimate, there is a way to go through geo. In 2019, Japan’s overall number one energy source (ATEP) took the following form: oil 37. 9%, coal 27. 2%, herbal fuel 23. 1%, nuclear 4. 0%, bioenergy and waste 3. 8%, hydroelectricity 1. 6%, sun 1. 6% and geothermal base.
Slow progress? Yes, this though; in 2014, Japan set a goal of achieving between 14% and 13% renewable energy in its TPES by 2030.
More recently, it has set stricter targets for generating renewables between 36% and 38% of its electric power mix through fiscal 2030.
Geothermal deployment has been slow due to major allocation hazards related to the exploration phase of development. Lengthy environmental assessment processes and local acceptance also remain major challenges.
However, Japan has the third largest geothermal resources in the world after the United States and Indonesia, and the country has an estimated production of 23. 47 GW.
In 2022, things have reached a climax. Baseload Capital’s subsidiary, Baseload Power Japan, has completed its third geothermal power plant in the country and is about to complete a new expansion project.
Developed in partnership with Furusato Power Generation and Sansui Thermal Inn, the Sansui geothermal power plant will produce a consistent 350 MWh per year, for the annual electrical energy intake of around one hundred homes.
The electricity produced through the new plant will be sold to Kyushu Electric Power through a feed-in tariff mechanism. Excess hot water will be provided to the Sansui Hot Spring Hostel to be used as bathing water for your hot spring operations.
“The Japanese government is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and expanding the use of renewable energy is key to achieving this goal,” said Ryuta Hiratsuka, representative director of Baseload Power Japan KK. “Geothermal energy production, which can be produced and powered locally, will be a vital component of the country’s energy mix. “
The second phase of the allocation will produce 700 MWh of electricity consistent with the year, doubling the total of the installation.
A lot is also happening. Exergy International and geothermal development
Marco Frassinetti, Sales Director at Exergy International, said: “Knowing that the Asia region has great renewable energy potential to exploit, we have been pursuing this key business for years. We see Japan specifically as a promising market for geothermal development. “
In addition, Mitsubishi Materials announced a partnership with Renova and Daiwa Energy and Infrastructure to expand a new geothermal power plant in the Eyama region of Hakodate City in Hokkaido. This progression will be the responsibility of the company Kodate Kaizen Geothermal.
Funding for this allocation is funded through the Japan National Oil, Gas and Metals Corporation. A resource study is already underway and drilling of diameter wells is planned for the study’s theme of the year.
Looking at the above, you would be tempted to think that a revival of Japanese geothermal energy is on the cards. Nikkei Asia wrote last year that 30 sites would be assessed in a new phase of government-funded exploration, overseen through the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), for greenhouse fuel emissions.
METI, which Nikkei Asia says is guilty of Japan’s energy policy, will request $116 million (18. 3 billion yen) ($166 million) in the FY2022 budget for the exploration and advancement of new geothermal sources, up 60% from the $80 million (11 billion yen) allocated in 2021. That’s an increase.
But with about 8 years after a well-known site began generating geothermal power there, time is running out for Japan to succeed in its 2030 target.