For Tomorrow 5
Review of Energy Policy
Japan's final electricity consumption reached approximately 1 trillion kWh in fiscal year 2007, but due to population decline and energy-saving advancements, electricity demand has continued to decrease and was projected to be around 800 billion kWh by fiscal year 2050.
During this period, renewable energy has expanded at a rate of about 1% of the total power supply annually. If we can double the speed of introducing renewable energy in Japan going forward, by fiscal year 2050, renewable energy could supply approximately 800 billion kWh, theoretically covering almost all electricity demand with renewable energy.
However, with the rapid development of AI and the expansion of data centers, there is now concern that electricity demand will sharply increase. It is estimated that Japan's total electricity demand by fiscal year 2050 could expand to around 1.4 trillion kWh. In this case, even if renewable energy is expanded to 800 billion kWh, it will still not be enough. Considering recent storms and flooding, climate change measures must be prioritized, and fossil fuel-based power generation must be eliminated by 2050.
If we cannot meet the required electricity demand, data centers may need to be moved overseas, and investment in AI within Japan could slow down, leading to stagnation in economic activity. Therefore, I had no choice but to revise my stance on energy policy.
By restarting nuclear power plants that are deemed safe, we could add around 200 billion kWh of electricity. However, this still may not be enough to meet the demand. Moving forward, we must mobilize all possible technologies, including the development of further energy-saving technologies, acceleration of renewable energy adoption, and the use of hydrogen, ammonia, and nuclear fusion to prepare for the future.