Utilizing nuclear power generation based on the premise of safety assurance
Nuclear power emits no carbondioxide (CO2) in the process of power generation, and even considering CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle of various energy sources, those from nuclear power are lower than those from thermal power, and are even lower than those from solar or wind power.
Considering that nuclear power generation will continuously play a key role in combating global warming, the industry is committed to making utmost effort to assure the safety of nuclear power generation and to restore the trust of citizens.
CO2 Emissions Intensity by SourceDevelopment and expansion of the use of renewable energy sources
Hydroelectric, geothermal, photovoltaic, wind, and biomass energy are all clean and renewable , and the electric utilities are striving to develop them.
For example, the electric utilities are developing mega-solar power generation plants (large-scale photovoltaic power generation plants) in addition to the
efforts such as utilizing woody biomass fuel at their existing coal-fred power plants. We are planning to build Mega Solar Power Plants with a total capacity of about 140 MW at around 30 sites throughout the country by scal 2020, and some plants have already started commercial operation.
Japanese electric power companies have been purchasing electricity generated from the solar and wind power systems of our customers, and thus renewable energy sources account for about 10% of total electricity.
The feed-in tarif system for renewable energy will commence in July 2012, whereupon the electric power companies will be obliged to buy such electricity at a fixed price for a certain period. The cost of purchasing such electricity shall finally be borne by customers in the form of surcharge basically in proportion to the amount of electricity consumption. Details of the system including option pricing and terms are to be decided by the Japanese Government.
Renewable energy such as photovoltaic power has problems involving efficiency, cost of power generation and stability of output. R&D on the latest power system control technologies for combining existing power plants and storage batteries will be actively conducted to help stabilize the system, when introducing large amounts of wind and photovoltaic power, which are susceptible to the weather.
Electric utilities will keep striving to develop and improve renewable energy sources.
CO2 Emission Intensity
As a result of our efforts to decarbonate energy supply, even though the electricity demand in Japan is now 3.5 times greater since the oil crisis of the 1970s, the CO2 emission intensity (end use electricity) in fiscal 2010 was approx. 41% lower than in fiscal 1970.
