Japan Approves National Feed-in Tariff (strong move to renewable energy)

[kristopher]

Japan Approves National Feed-in Tariff
By Steve Leone, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
August 26, 2011

New Hampshire, USA -- Japan positioned itself as the next large growth market for renewable energy Friday as the upper chamber of parliament approved legislation that will create a national feed-in tariff.

The new law is expected to bolster solar, wind and geothermal projects by mandating that utilities buy power from renewable sources at above-market rates. The law will go into effect next year, but details about the pricing structure have yet to be determined.

The legislation also prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who made passage of the bill a precondition to his departure. Kan has been under heavy pressure to resign as criticism has mounted over his handling of the Fukushima nuclear plant crisis in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

As anger grew, so has the call for the country’s leaders to move away from nuclear power and replace it with renewable energy. According to a recent poll, 74 percent were in favor of a gradual phase out of nuclear power plants, 11 percent called for an immediate end and 13 percent thought there was no need to alter policy.

Japan currently gets about 9 percent of its power from renewable sources compared to 30 percent from the nuclear industry...

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/08/japan-approves-national-feed-in-tariff?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-August31-2011