Japan’s love affair with solar blossoms while a massive radioactive contamination threat still looms large.
Renewable energy facilities that commenced operations during Japan’s 2012 fiscal year (1 April 2012 to March 31 2013) totaled 2.08 gigawatts capacity, equivalent to two nuclear reactors, said the nation’s Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry.
Of the 2.08 gigawatts, 1.98 gigawatts was contributed by residential, commercial and utility scale solar power systems.
The Ministry describes Japan’s shift towards a renewable future as “smooth”, with an additional 1.28 gigawatts of renewables added to the nation’s energy infrastructure in April and May this year.
All told, the amount of renewable capacity approved between July 2012 and March this year was 21.09 gigawatts, meaning far more is yet to be built.
While solar is enjoying smooth sailing, the country’s nuclear industry is experiencing anything but; with crisis after crisis occurring at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power station.
Early this week, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said approximately 300 tonnes of radioactive water is estimated to have leaked from a tank at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
As a result, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority raised the threat assessment from level one to level three (serious incident) on a scale that increments from zero to seven; with the latter being the worst.
The leak is believed to be the largest since the original crisis was triggered in March 2011; resulting from a tsunami that took out reactor cooling systems.
Also this week, an alarm indicating high-high radioactivity level was triggered at the continuous dust monitor installed in front of the Main Anti-earthquake Building at Fukushima Daiichi.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority came into existence as a result of “badly damaged public trust in the nation’s nuclear safety regulation and administration”.
