A group of 38 local green power advocacy groups plan to set up a national association by June in an effort to break away from nuclear power generation.
The association will provide a forum for sharing information about members' experiences in setting up community-based renewable power plants, the founders said at a news conference Tuesday in Tokyo.
Members also plan to create a system for issuing certificates indicating the origin of electricity ahead of the 2016 liberalization of the retail electricity market, which will allow households to choose suppliers.
Noting their wish not to have another nuclear disaster, the founders said they hope to assist companies and individuals to overcome challenges in developing locally driven power plants, such as the lack of funds and human resources.
"We want to create a concrete step to realize calls to break away from nuclear energy by generating electricity in communities," said Tetsunari Iida, executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies and who will serve as secretary-general of the planned association.
Other founders include Hokkaido Green Fund, Aizu Electric Power Co. in Fukushima Prefecture and Houtoku Energy Co. in Kanagawa Prefecture.