As the cost of wind and solar power generation has drastically fallen, these technologies have come to make a major contribution to the decarbonisation of power systems. In Japan, solar photovoltaic uptake has risen rapidly over the last five years, making the country one of the most dynamic photovoltaic markets outside China. While the proportion of variable renewables in the Japanese system is increasing, however, it remains rather low, at around 7%.
Concerns over whether renewables can be efficiently integrated into Japan’s power grids without endangering grid stability have raised the spectre of a renewables slowdown in the country. International experience has shown, however, that a number of technical measures that are not yet widespread in Japan can be safely implemented to improve grid stability. Unfortunately, there are very few studies in the public domain on these aspects of Japan’s power system.
In this study, Japan’s Renewable Energy Institute (REI) and Agora Energiewende attempt to partially fill this lacuna. As well as providing new insights into grid stability in Japan, the study also promotes data transparency. We are firmly convinced that third party analysis on the basis of transparent data can contribute to a more robust discussion and ultimately raise societal awareness of the importance of the energy transition.