Japan to more than quintuple renewable energy capacity by 2030

A new national strategy will increase Japan's renewable energy capacity by a massive 555%.

The Ministry of the Environment has put together a strategy that will immensely expand the use of geothermal, offshore wind, ocean (tidal and wave) and biomass. MOE aims to increase the total capacity generated by these four RE sources to 19,410 MW by 2030 from only 2,960 MW in fiscal 2010, or a huge jump of 555%.

The strategy plans to increase the annual generation capacity of offshore wind power to 8,030 MW, geothermal power to 3,880 MW, biomass power to 6,000 MW and ocean energy to 1,500 MW by strongly promoting research and development.

MOE Minister Goshi Hosono said Japan wants to pursue a future without nuclear power.

“It has come to the point that we ask the Japanese public what actions they are willing to take [to phase out nuclear power],” he said.