Lecturer: Mr. Noriaki Yamashita, Senior Researcher, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), a non-profit organization

3rd Seminar “Toward Sustainable Energy Development” was held on December 14 last year.

First, Fujii, Representative of Board, introduced the background, philosophy, and activities of the association, followed by a lecture by Noriaki Yamashita, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, a non-profit organization, on “Aiming for Community Acceptance of Renewable Energy – Local Trouble and New Possibilities”. Discussion among Mr. Yamashita, Mr. Sakumoto of Niimi Solar Company, Founder of the association , and Fujii, Representative of board of the association closed the event.

-Rapid Expansion of Renewable Energy and Local Troubles

Mr. Yamashita commented, “Renewable energy has become the mainstream of energy conversion not only from an environmental standpoint but also from an economic standpoint, and it is expanding rapidly in Japan. However, this has been accompanied by an increasing number of problems with local governments and local residents.” The 3rd National Municipal Survey was conducted jointly with Hitotsubashi University, Nagoya University, the Asahi Shimbun, and other organizations. The results of the survey shows that “about one-third of the municipalities answered “ they have had” or “will have problems” as of 2020. He also pointed out that the main reasons apparently have strong ties with solar power generation systems, such as landscape problems, weed management on the site, and concerns about landslides. He noted that, “We have confirmed 163 media reports of trouble with solar power by December 2021, but the actual number is much higher.

-National and local regulations and harmonization ordinances

Mr. Yamashita introduced some of the government’s policy measures, such as “revision of the FIT Law,” “making the FIT Law subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment Law,” and “revision of related systems such as regulations for forest land development in response to the current situation of increasing troubles. In addition, he explained that “local governments are increasingly enacting their own regulation and harmonization ordinances, and we have confirmed at least 145 cases as of April 2022.”

He also emphasized the need to take advantage of the inherent zoning (promotion, control, and prohibition zones), a system of cooperation between the national government and local communities, and the power of rules and markets to enhance business discipline.

-Increasing Socially Acceptable Renewable Energy

Mr. Yamashita concluded his presentation by introducing examples of socially accepted renewable energy, saying, “We would like to increase the number of good examples of community symbiosis, community utilization, community benefit, community initiative, and nature symbiosis. He also emphasized the need for a trusted third-party organization to deal with any problems that may arise.

A roundtable discussion by Mr. Yamashita, Mr. Sakumoto, and Fujii followed, delving deeper into the content of Mr. Yamashita’s lecture.

-Roles of businesses in resolving local problems

-Challenges to the spread of solar sharing

-Energy independence in communities