RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY IN JAPAN

Japan has few indigenous energy supplies, and imports the bulk of its energy. so it is hardly surprising that, following the oil crises of t he mid 1970's, it has taken renewable energy seriously. Moreover, incr easing constrains on energy and the environment, especially the global environmental consequences of energy use, are causing a rising concer n world wide, giving a warning that such constraints may be limits to sustaining our future development. This paper, at first, introduce pro spects of energy demand and supply in Japan, then, the author look at the real potential of domestic renewable energy resources, such as sol ar thermal energy, photovoltaics, wind power, hydro power, ocean energ y, biomass, and geothermal energy. Finally, the renewable energy strat egy in Japan is asserted. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.