Japanese billionaire’s push for renewable energy
His goal is to encourage local governments to shift to renewable energy sources and to provide land for mega-solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal, small hydropower generators, and other renewable energy forms.
Investment would come from Son’s fund as well as other public and private sources…….As it takes a minimum of 10 years to build a nuclear plant, and given that the cost of solar power in other countries like the United States continues to fall thanks to ever more efficient solar panels, Son is betting that, by 2020, renewable energy technology will have developed to the point where it is extremely cost-competitive on a per kilowatt hour basis compared with nuclear power. And renewable energy would not have the social and environmental problems of nuclear power…..
SON’S CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE Son’s quest for sun, wind has nuclear interests wary, Japan Times, 12 July 11, By ERIC JOHNSTON In late March, while engaging in volunteer work and making efforts to restore telecommunications networks in the quake-stricken Tohoku region, Softbank Corp. founder and Chairman Masayoshi Son met with evacuees from the area surrounding the troubled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Days later, he returned to Tokyo and declared pursuit of a new energy policy, one emphasizing renewable sources, such as solar, wind and thermal energy, was needed.
In April, Son announced he would personally donate ¥1 billion to establish a foundation for that purpose.
The amount he’s committing, and the political support he has received from local and national leaders, have sparked a national debate on the future of nuclear power versus renewable, and put the atomic power lobby on the defensive.
Why is a man whose business is telecommunications-related embracing renewable energy?
Son’s experience in disaster relief in the aftermath of March 11 provided the immediate motive for his decision, but he said he had been thinking about the pursuit of renewable energy sources for a few years.
The nation’s utilities, he said, operate as virtual monopolies, especially Tokyo Electric Power Co., prompting him to probe why the nation relies so heavily on nuclear power and gives so little thought to renewable energies.
This was when he came to the realization that the pronuclear elements in the government and utilities had a profound influence on the nation’s economic, social and political structure.
Son made a name for himself when Softbank entered the telecommunications business, helping to bring about the end of NTT Corp.’s effective monopoly and triggering intense competition….
So what’s Son’s plan?
His goal is to encourage local governments to shift to renewable energy sources and to provide land for mega-solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal, small hydropower generators, and other renewable energy forms.
Investment would come from Son’s fund as well as other public and private sources.
The key to success is participation by prefectures, which would share the financial benefits of having solar and wind farms, and other natural energy sources located on their land…..
The question is really about what the cost structure of renewables versus nuclear will look like in the future.
As it takes a minimum of 10 years to build a nuclear plant, and given that the cost of solar power in other countries like the United States continues to fall thanks to ever more efficient solar panels, Son is betting that, by 2020, renewable energy technology will have developed to the point where it is extremely cost-competitive on a per kilowatt hour basis compared with nuclear power. And renewable energy would not have the social and environmental problems of nuclear power…..
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