The future of renewable energy could be here, as Japan eyes a revolutionary source that could apparently replace nuclear power. Japan's government hopes to generate 20 gigawatts of electricity by the fiscal year of 2040. This would be the equivalent of 20 nuclear reactors and has been unveiled in the country's revised energy plan.
As countries across the world look for alternatives to nuclear power and the burning of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources continue to be explored.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) plans to deploy the technology that involves bendable perovskite solar cells that have been designated to help expand the country's hopes to hit net-zero emissions by 2050.
The current energy program asks for Japan to increase renewable energy sources to between 36 and 38% of its total energy sources. The 2023 fiscal year stands at 22.9%, with these PV systems planning to up its output.
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Currently, solar panels are made of fragile silicon that's protected by glass. Coming in at about 10 kg per square meter, they're also incredibly heavy. These bendable perovskite solar cells cover the perovskite crystal structure with a power-generating layer. As they're thin and flexible, they're about one-tenth the weight of traditional solar panels.
According to Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, solar panels have been causing issues in 40% of municipalities where renewable energy has been used. With solar power facilities being built on sloping land, there have been multiple reports of landslide damage. Alongside this, others have been complaining about blinding light from the reflective panels.
The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy reports that Japan's mountains have installed the most solar power panels of any major industrialized country, leaping ahead of Germany, and the United Kingdom coming in third. Meanwhile, the USA is down in eighth place.
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As climate change worsens, the energy sector is responsible for over 80% of carbon emissions. Amid worries about restarting nuclear reactors due to the many disasters, Japan is among the countries that are looking to expand their renewable energy output.
Sekisui Chemical is targeting the commercialization of bendable perovskite solar cells in 2025, with company head Morita Takeharu explaining that an initially high selling price should be worth it in the long run. As Nippon reports, Takeharu says: "If you consider the possibility that a carbon tax will be introduced in the future, it might be cheaper to use the new cells. Meanwhile, some large companies place importance on aspects like increasing their corporate value and displaying social responsibility."
Sekisui hopes to use PV cells on the roofs of factories and warehouses, which previously were unable to use traditional solar panels due to their weight. The company has been conducting tests at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal by attaching panels to curved surfaces. Added to this, a 43-story skyscraper that's planned for completion in Tokyo's Uchisaiwaichō in Hibiya by 2028 will include thin solar cells in its outer walls. The skyscraper will reportedly generate 1,000 kilowatts of power.
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As roof-mounted solar panels can be affected by snow, including them in walls opens up a whole new world of solar generation.
If PV cells become more affordable, there are hopes that the struggling agricultural sector can use these cells in plastic greenhouses, while rollable solar panels could be used as an emergency power generator in the aftermath of disasters. Either way, Japan continues to pave the way for solar power innovation.