A member of an advisory panel to the industry ministry is calling on the government to introduce market competition in its feed-in tariff scheme to promote renewable energy by giving preferential treatment to solar power suppliers offering low-priced electricity.

Kenji Yamaji, who heads a subcommittee on new energy under the ministry's Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, made the recommendation in an interview ahead of his subcommittee beginning full-fledged discussions Wednesday on revising the feed-in tariff scheme.

Yamaji recommends giving priority to purchasing renewable energy from suppliers offering the best price to lessen the burden that gets passed on to consumers.