For modern Japanese consumers, eco-friendliness is one of the most important factors in many purchasing decisions. Companies are beginning to seize upon photovoltaics as a means of highlighting their environmental credentials to their customers.
This has already resulted in PV systems being used to create 'environmentally friendly' conveniences stores, with family restaurants and manufacturing industries next on the list for a green image make-over. If this is good for the companies involved, it is equally valuable for PV-increasing familiarity and understanding of the technology, which will eventually help trigger a widespread chain-reaction of PV systems deployment throughout industry and across all local government.
Residential systems are now quite well-catered for, with commercial banks and several local governments offering low-interest loans for the introduction of PV on new houses, extensions, or refurbishment of old buildings. The national government is also actively promoting the technology through the inclusion of PV in both the Green Government Office Building and the New Tokyo International Airport, as well as the Prime Minister's official residence.
But demonstration and public support alone will not necessarily stimulate the desired chain reaction. Cost is still the major obstacle to be overcome, and providing attractive products as acceptable prices is the issue which the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) is now addressing through its PV Field Test Project for Industrial Use.
The five-year joint research project which will be 50% funded by NEDO initially has two main aims: the first is to accelerate price reductions through standardisation; small and medium-sized generators up to 100 kWp will be constructed from multiples of standard 50 kWp units. The second aim is to assess new products including thin-film materials, new PV-integrated building materials and other novel technologies.
In total, 81 systems totalling 2,1 MWp of capacity will be installed across 34 of Japan's 47 prefectures under the Field Test Project. The joint partners include 58 private companies, 17 public service corporations (hospitals, schools and welfare facilities) and 6 local governments.
Information
[ Top ]
[ Previous article in PV Power
] [ Next article in PV Power
]