New sunshine project and new trend of PV R&D program in Japan

The development and application of new energy resources seems to promise significant effects in tackling the problems of reassembling Japan's feeble energy supply structure and of the damages done to global environment by acid rain, carbon dioxide and its offspring known as greenhouse effect. Now, the development of new energy is promoted under the ‘New Sunshine Program” started in 1993, following “Sunshine Project” started in 1974. As a result of technical development and legislative supports, the introduction and dissemination of photovoltaic (PV) power generation has been promoted recently. To promote new energy introduction in Japan including PV power generation, a “Basic Guidelines for New Energy Introduction” was decided upon in a December 1994 Cabinet meeting. In the “Guidelines” a policy was formulated whereby the introductory targets for PV power generation were set at 400MW in 2000 and 4,600MW in 2010. The state, local public bodies, and the private sector are cooperatively to promote accelerated introduction.