pwr_march-2024 - 6

Coal Continues as Key Part of
Japan's Energy Mix
Japan's energy mix is in flux as the country
slowly brings idled nuclear reactors
online. The 2011 Fukushima disaster
upended the nation's power generation,
resulting in more reliance on coal and
natural gas, both fuels needing to be imported
at a substantial cost. The country
is adding more renewable energy
resources, including offshore wind, but
the buildout of solar farms and onshore
wind has been limited by the country's
lack of land suitable for construction,
along with a regulatory system that has
been slow to support renewables.
Nuclear power from about 50 operating
reactors supplied about one-third
of Japan's electricity before the nuclear
sector was shut down after Fukushima.
Coal-fired power generation has grown
in importance, even as Japan has a target
of having renewable energy account
for more than a third of its power generation
by 2030 and a goal to achieve
carbon neutrality by 2050. According to
Statista, Japan as of late last year had
93 coal-fired power plants. Government
data shows coal supplies about one-third
of the nation's electricity, second only to
the roughly 34% supplied by gas-fired
power stations. Nuclear power's share
of generation has dropped below 10%,
according to the International Atomic
Energy Agency.
Japanese officials have said the country
will no longer build what it calls " unabated
coal-fired power plants, " or those
without advanced emissions technology,
joining with other Group of Seven (G7)
developed nations in a pledge to move
away from coal-based generation from
facilities without advancements to support
lower emissions, such as carbon
capture and storage. " In line with its
pathway to net zero, Japan will end new
construction of domestic unabated coal
power plants, while securing a stable
energy supply, " Prime Minister Fumio
Kishida said in early December while
speaking at the United Nations Climate
Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates. Kishida said such
decisions from other nations " should be
addressed by each country in the course
of the respective pathways to net zero,
reflecting national circumstances. " Officials
said the pledge not to build new
plants does not affect units already un6
der
construction. Kishida in his address
at COP28 said the country is progressing
toward its goal of cutting greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions by 46% by 2030,
and he said Japan would like to cut GHG
output by at least half this decade.
Two new coal-fired plants entered operation
in 2023, and another was expected
to come online near Tokyo in February,
according to JERA, a major Japanese utility.
JERA in December said it had brought
the 650-MW Yokosuka Thermal Power
Station Unit 2 online (Figure 1), joining the
similar Unit 1 at the site. The first Yokosuka
unit entered commercial operation in
June of last year. Unit 2 is a high-efficiency
coal-fired power station that uses an
ultrasupercritical (USC) power generation
system. JERA has said it " will continue to
move steadily forward in replacing aging
equipment with state-of-the-art power
stations as it works to contribute to a
stable electricity supply and reduce CO2
emissions. " Kishida said government officials
are not aware of any current plans for
new coal-fired units.
Japanese companies such as Sumitomo
Corp. and Toshiba have said they
will not support new coal-fired generation,
and some Japanese-backed banks
also have said they no longer will finance
coal projects. Japan's Electric Power Development
company, known as J-Power,
recently said it will close two 500-MW
units at its Matsushima power station
in southern Japan. J-Power, Japan's second-largest
coal-fired power generator
after JERA, said Unit 1 at Matsushima
will close by the end of March 2025, and
operations will be suspended at Unit 2.
The company said it plans to restart Unit
2 in 2028, but only after it builds a gasification
facility at the site to support more
efficiency and lower emissions. J-Power
also has said it will reduce generation
capacity at some of its other coal-fired
units and upgrade facilities with advanced
emissions reduction technology.
Sankar Sharma, an investment expert
and founder of RiskRewardReturn.com,
told POWER, " In its quest for net-zero
emissions, Japan, like many other Asian
countries, faces a paradoxical situation:
despite its commitment to environmental
goals, the nation continues to depend
heavily on coal-fired electricity generation,
even adding new units to its energy
portfolio. This scenario is emblematic
of a broader global dilemma where the
www.powermag.com
1. JERA, a major Japanese utility, brought
the coal-fired 650-MW Yokosuka Thermal
Power Station Unit 2 online in December
2023. Unit 2 is a high-efficiency power station
using ultrasupercritical technology. Courtesy:
JERA
choice between energy security and sustainable
energy alternatives becomes increasingly
complex. "
Said Sharma, " Coal remains a cornerstone
in Japan's energy landscape due
to its cost-effectiveness and reliability
compared to other energy sources. Despite
its environmental drawbacks, coal
is seen as a vital component in ensuring
Japan's energy security, especially when
considering the challenges and costs
associated with transitioning to green
energy sources like wind and solar. Currently,
it is not easy to transport wind or
solar, and nuclear energy takes time and
a huge investment. "
A continued dependence on coal,
along with natural gas, has economic
consequences for Japan. " Japan has few
or no natural resources of its own so it is
highly dependent on imports, " said Irina
Tsukerman, a geopolitical analyst and
president of Scarab Rising, an analytics
group. " Coal is needed for electricity
production ... and Japan therefore has to
import nearly 100% of its coal from other
countries. " Tsukerman noted, " Despite
committing to decarbonization by 2050,
Japan has been heavily invested into a
coal-based energy approach both at home
and abroad, and has not only built new
coal-based plants domestically this year
but has been one of the top major financiers
of coal-based power plants abroad,
in some cases, the leading financier of
such projects. " The country has pledged
to end funding for some international projects,
including in Indonesia. Tsukerman
told POWER that Japan's " entire infrastructure
and financial operations are so
heavily tied to coal that changing course
is extremely difficult. And another issue is
POWER | March 2024
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pwr_march-2024

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