Japan has the potential by 2030 to triple the amount of electricity it gets from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, an environment ministry study showed.
Clean energy — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass and ocean energy — could account for 241.4 terawatt-hours to 356.6-terawatt hours of output by 2030, depending on energy policies, according to estimates included in the study of renewable energy's potential, posted on the ministry's website Friday. The report didn't provide total power output levels for 2030.
Japan gets about 116.1 terawatt-hours from renewable energy sources, according to the report, which was compiled by the Mitsubishi Research Institute for the ministry.
Solar output may increase to 77.7 terawatt-hours to 128 terawatt-hours in 15 years from 15 terawatt-hours, the report showed. Wind, including offshore, may rise to 41 terawatt-hours to 64.6 terawatt-hours from 4.8 terawatt-hours.