Antinuclear

The Japanese province of Fukushima has pledged to switch to 100% renewable energy by 2040, turning its 2011 nuclear disaster into an opportunity to tackle climate change.

The mayor of the region, which has a population of about two million people, hopes that community energy schemes will wean the region off fossil fuels completely in just over 25 years’ time

Energy will be generated locally through community energy initiatives and will provide a clean and self-sustaining source of heat and electricity throughout the area.

A coalition of green energy groups welcomed the decision at a Community Power Conference held in Fukushima this week.

The scheme is regarded as a positive step to embrace renewable energy in Japan, where the national government remains pro-nuclear, despite widespread distrust of the technology and its regulation.

“The Japanese government is very much negative,” said Tetsunari Iida, director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies in Japan. “Local government like the Fukushima prefecture or the Tokyo metropolitan government are much more active, more progressive compared to the national government, which is occupied by the industry people.”

A recent survey found that 53% of Japanese people wanted to see nuclear power phased out gradually, and 23% wanted it scrapped instantly……..

Transition

Currently, Fukushima derives 22% of its primary energy from renewable sources. According to Stefan Schurig from the World Future Council, the price of clean energy is no longer an obstacle in making the transition away from fossil fuels.

“The cost of renewable energy has declined massively, so they’re more or less competitive with conventional types of energy,” he told RTCC.

– See more at: http://www.rtcc.org/2014/01/31/fukushima-to-use-100-renewable-energy-by-2040/#sthash.2Uzptw60.dpuf