Japan to Introduce Renewable Energy in Designated Areas

Japan to Introduce Renewable Energy in Designated Areas

Aug 03 - Jiji Press English News Service

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Environment Ministry is planning to introduce renewable energy sources such as sunlight, wind power and biomass in designated areas from fiscal 2005 starting next April as part of its measures to tackle global warming, Jiji Press learned Tuesday.

The ministry will extend financial support for the project to use renewable energy sources, which have low carbon dioxide emissions compared with fossil fuels, to provide electricity and gas to the designated areas, informed sources said.

It will include the necessary expenses in its fiscal 2005 budget request.

Under the new project, each designated area will supply renewable energy amounting to at least 25 pct of the conventional energy consumed by all households within that area.

The ministry will have local governments draw up action plans and provide subsidies to companies, nonprofit organizations and joint public-private ventures supplying the energy.

It will also support the production of gasoline blended with bioethanol, which is produced from sugar cane and corn, the sources said.

The introduction of renewable energy sources has been slow in Japan mainly due to the high costs involved, despite hopes that they will help ease global warming.

Renewable energy sources, unlike oil and other fossil fuels and nuclear energy, are obtained from natural resources.END

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