Multiplying solar power capacity in Tokyo

January 3, 2015

Tokyo aims to quadruple solar power generation capacity by 2024

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150103p2g00m0dm004000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Tokyo metropolitan government has set a goal of quadrupling solar power generation capacity in the capital to 1 million kilowatts by 2024, installing solar panels on the rooftops of buildings including houses and schools, officials said Friday.

The target will be introduced to promote Tokyo as an environmentally friendly city in the run-up to the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics to be hosted by the metropolis, they said.

As of late March in 2013, Tokyo had solar power facilities capable of generating 260,000 kw in total. About 10 percent of newly built detached houses had such facilities, while the ratio was 0.5 percent among existing housing.

It is difficult to set up mega solar power plants in Tokyo due to the lack of land, the officials said.

In fiscal 2015, the Tokyo government is planning to introduce measures to support those who install solar power generation facilities when they renovate their houses.

The metropolitan government also aims to roughly double electricity generated by solar power at schools and housing estates it runs from 10,000 kw in 2014 to 22,000 kw by 2020.

The government will install solar panels on the roofs of its facilities' parking areas in fiscal 2015 and promote the renting of rooftop space by building owners to solar power generators.

"Although Tokyo land prices are high, we'd like to increase solar power generation by utilizing rooftop spaces," a Tokyo government official said.

January 03, 2015(Mainichi Japan)