FiT scheme to be introduced in Japan

Japan is to introduce a Feed in Tariffs (FiTs) for solar, wind and biomass, geothermal and small hydropower from July 1, 2012, as part of the Renewable Energy Law passed in August 2011. An original committee announced in December included a representative from Nippon Steel Corporation. This drew criticism from the renewables industry, which claimed his role in the energy-intensive steel sector was unlikely to be compatible with growing use of clean power.

The new committee – replacing the steel executive with a professor from Kyoto University – was voted through last week by parliament. Some in the renewables industry had feared that preparatory work had not started early enough to introduce the new subsidies on time. They are now expected to be announced just before or after the Golden Week holiday in the first week of May. Read more ...