Electricity generation from renewable energy Japan FY 2019, by energy source

In the fiscal year 2019, the electricity produced from hydropower in Japan stood at approximately 80 terawatt hours. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and be less dependent on fossil fuel imports, the Japanese government is currently working on expanding electricity production from renewable energy sources.

 Renewable energy in Japan 

The share of renewable energy in electricity generation increased up to 18 percent in recent years. Since Japan was one of the largest hydroelectric power generating countries, hydropower represented the largest renewable energy source.
The mountainous country has a lack of space for renewable power facilities on land. Therefore, it has recently made investments in floating solar panels and offshore wind farms with floating turbines. Wind energy currently only produces a small amount of energy supply, but the electricity production from offshore wind energy increased significantly in recent years.

 Current climate policy 

    To realize its climate goals as a member of the Paris Agreement, the Japanese government plans to reach a nuclear energy share of around 22 percent and a renewable energy share of around 24 percent by 2030. Furthermore, the Japanese prime minister announced the goal for the country to become entirely carbon neutral by 2050, with a renewable energy share of around 50 percent.
Even though most Japanese people agreed that renewable energy generation should be increased to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the expansion of nuclear energy as a source of low-carbon energy will also be essential to meet this goal.