Japan will have almost equal mix of renewable, atomic power, coal and gas by 2030: Taishi Sugiyama

What do you think of the summit and on India’s plans to scale up renewable energy production?
A: I enjoyed the talk and the opportunity to share concerns of development and climate change.

Has Japan taken up renewable energy with much more vigour after the Fukushima disaster, in terms of research and government policies?
A: Yeah, there has been a lot of interest and investment in renewables. Japan’s renewable capacity is high, but there are concerns about the costs associated with it. We have it for Rs.2 kilowatt/hour as surcharge. The renewable energy program in Japan was initiated in 1979, just after the then energy shock or oil shock. The energy security was the major driver when Japan began investing in research and development of renewable energy.

Will the share of nuclear power in Japan’s energy mix going to reduce in the coming years because of renewable?
A: The government plans that by 2030, the country would have almost the same share of nuclear, renewable, gas and coal; 25% roughly or less, generally speaking.

You are involved in research on clean energy, how do you see the developments in India’s clean energy sector and how can Japan help India in clean energy technology?
A: Well there are a lot of talented scientists and researchers here. I am expecting India to be an innovation centre that will contribute to the economic growth and in providing solutions to tackle climate change. At many levels, India and Japan have already been cooperating and will continue to do so I feel, especially in the field of technology transfers.

Source: dnaindia