Alternative Energy Development In Japan - How Japan Uses Wind For Energy

As Japan is a country that is densely populated, alternative energy development is a serious matter and cannot be compared to other markets. With wind energy in use, its continuation will depend on utilising near shore as well as offshore installations and the possibilities here are endless. Once an energy network is set up in Japan it is quickly taken up by the market. As the offshore wind is usually stronger, so the costs in installation become higher. The efficiency of turbines is increasing so the price per kilowatt-hour produced is lowering due to competition with equipment. Wind energy is generating more interest and in comparison to other renewable energy sources, it is proving more competitive.

In Svend Sigaard's words, "By utilising sites near or at sea with good wind machines, then the price per kilowatt-hour is competitive against other sources of energy". Svend Sigaard is president and CEO to the biggest wind turbine maker in the world, Denmark's 'Vestas Wind Systems'. Vestas has invested heavily in capital for research, development and their efforts towards helping Japan to expand in generating capacity in wind turbine power. Offshore installations are being sought for the Japanese nation, who are ready to put a lot of investment into alternative energy by much research and development. Their efforts will surely pay off and they can then enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Japan has long run their own course, refusing to follow other foreign nations - in World War II, the U.S. crippled all their military equipment and their oil supplies - and refuse to be dictated to. Japan is an island with a lack of natural resources which are conducive for energy production, so depend on producing other alternative energy supplies of their own. They are very open to overseas investment as well as foreign development; the introduction of new and innovative technology will help them advance and become more independent. With Vestas and other corporations being allowed into Japan to help them more with wind-production, keeping it up and running smoothly, the Japanese people are moving forward and keeping up with the times towards environmentally friendly renewable energy sources. Japan have also caught on to another power source - the microhydroelectric power plants. With its myriad of rivers and available mountain streams, Japan is absolutely ideal for placing microhydroelectric power plants to produce energy. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation has defined them as power plants which run on water and having a maximum output of less or equal to 100 kilowatts. "Minihydroelectric" power plants can, in comparison, give an output of electrical energy to a maximum of 1000 kilowatts.

For some considerable time now, Japan have regarded microhydroelectric and the smaller scaled mini hydroelectric power plants as very suitable for the mountainous terrains. Japanese cities now increasingly use these plants through refinement and have proved excellent. Smaller scale hydroelectric power plants have been developed through the involvement of Japan Natural Energy Company, Kawasaki City Waterworks and Tokyo Electric Power Company.

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