Japan opens solar energy parks (xpost from LBN - new laws go into effect)

[bananas]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014156853

Japan opens solar energy parks
Source: AFP

Japan opened several solar energy parks on Sunday as a new law came into force requiring companies to purchase renewable energy at a fixed price in a push for alternatives to nuclear power.

The openings come on the same day engineers began refiring an atomic reactor, despite growing public protests in the aftermath of meltdowns at Fukushima, ending nearly two months in which Japan was nuclear-free.

A new solar centre opened in Kyoto in western Japan, while various municipalities also started up installations able to provide energy for hundreds of thousands of households.

<snip>

The government estimates the power provided by renewable energy this year in Japan will attain 2,500 megawatts, the equivalent of two medium-sized nuclear reactors.

Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20120701-japan-opens-solar-energy-parks

[TheWraith]

1. Equivalent of two reactors. In a country which depends on 50 of them.

Not to mention they mention "megawatts," not "megawatt hours." An installed capacity of 2500 megawatts of solar panels are going to produce only about a third of that amount of power in a given day.

[kristopher]

2. Their new Feed In Tariff is very strong.

Especially if they can get the balance of system costs down.

No matter, we should see a huge amount of growth in the next couple of years.