In wake of Fukushima disaster, Germany and Japan look to cleaner energy

Nuclear reactor in Bavaria | Photo Credit: Bjoern Schwarz

Two big energy stories this week, both inspired by the horrific (and sadly still ongoing) meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her country’s plan to accelerate its phasing out of nuclear power. By 2022 all seventeen remaining nuclear plants will be closed. In addition, the government has pledged to cut total power use by 10% by 2020, while expanding the use of renewable energy sources including wind and solar.

Merkel’s shift to a pro-green agenda coincides with a series of losses in regional elections for her leading Christian Democrats party and increased opposition to nuclear energy across the country. She ensures the shift won’t disrupt power supplies fuelling Europe’s biggest economy. From Bloomberg:

“Germany is one of the best-performing and economically most successful countries in the world,” Merkel said today. “For that to stay this way, we have to have a competitive energy supply. Our citizens trust that there is sufficient availability at any given time.”

Nuclear supplied some 22 percent of German power in 2010, while renewable sources provided 17 percent, the Economy Ministry said. Europe is split on the future of nuclear power, with France and the U.K. planning more reactors while Germany joined Switzerland in setting an exit date and Italy extended a moratorium on plans to re-enter atomic energy.

In Japan, an increased commitment to clean energy

Japanese wind turbine | Photo Credit: Tommy Tsutsui

While the country still reels from the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan used his appearance at the G8 Summit in Deauville, France to announce an increased focus on clean energy. Kan pledged to hold both a global summit on nuclear safety and to boost Tokyo’s share of green energy to 20 percent of total power supply by 2020 and install 10 million solar panels on homes nationwide.

From the Associated Foreign Press:

“What we’ve learnt from the earthquake and tsunami is that we should not fear nature, but should live harmoniously with it, harnessing to the maximum what nature has to offer us,” Kan told the leaders in France after announcing Tokyo’s green energy plans.

In addition to nuclear power and fossil fuels, the two pillars of Japan’s energy policy, the government needs to develop renewable energy and energy conservation as two additional pillars, he added.

“It is our historic responsibility to transmit the lessons to people around the world and to future generations.”

While Kan’s future green energy plans are ambitious and admirable, the current situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant remain critical. In addition to the ongoing meltdown, a small explosion and new oil spill were reported earlier today at the site.

Tags: Asia Pacific, Europe & Russia, Germany, Japan

Category: News