With Japanese engineers now struggling to get control of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the issue has focused the minds of the Japanese on what they're going to do to get their energy. No one trusts nukes any more, particularly not the ones run by TEPCO.
So what do you do? Harness the power of the sun. As reported here, Japan is now looking to bring in a law requiring all new buildings, including homes, to have rooftop solar panels.
That doesn't mean Japan is scrapping its nuclear policies. It still plans to increase nuclear energy to more than half of the total supply by 2030 as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Japan now gets about 30 percent of its electricity from nuclear sources.
Of course, the big question is whether there will be a demand for new buildings. Japan has an ageing population. In 1975, 7.9 per cent of the population was over the age of 65 years. In 2000, the figure was 17.2 per cent. In 2025, it will be almost 30 per cent. Simply put, there won't be any demand for new buildings and the Japanese economy will continue to decline. The quake and its aftermath have already pushed Japan into recession and that's where it will stay for some time.
So while the solar plan sounds terrific, it's not realistic. The numbers don't add up. Which is why Japan will continue to rely on nuclear fuel, and leave itself vulnerable to more disasters.
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