Is rooftop solar a good option for Japan?

That leaves rooftop PV among the most attractive options for further development of renewables in Japan and the government is responding with a series of new subsidies at central and regional level to further incentivize household solar.

When will rooftop solar panels be mandatory in Tokyo?

To that end, Tokyo is planning to make the installation of rooftop solar panels on new homes and buildings compulsory from April 2025 as it pushes its people and businesses to shift to renewable energy. Not a Premium subscriber? Consider the benefits of unlimited access.

What percentage of Tokyo's rooftops are solar?

Also speaking at World Smart Energy Week, Kazumi Arai, system coordination manager for Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) noted that while an estimated 70% of greenhouse gas emissions in Tokyo come from buildings, just 4.24% of the city’s rooftops currently have solar installed.

Where do solar panels sit in Japan?

Solar panels sit atop a factory in the city of Namerikawa. Japan wants companies to install panels on the roofs and surroundings of corporate facilities. (Photo obtained by Nikkei)

Is solar the key to Japan's Energy Transition?

With solar at the heart of Japan's energy transition, according to a paper commissioned by domestic thinktank the Renewable Energy Institute, more than a third of the 524 GW of solar generation capacity needed by 2045 would be installed on urban rooftops.

Is Japan a leader in solar energy?

With a high feed-in-tariff (FIT) rate, Japan emerged, in the early 2000s, as a leader in solar energy and has since maintained installations of around 5 GW per year. Today, though, land for these projects is scarce and solar is beginning to come into conflict with agriculture and other industries.