Japan

Japan will announce its new national energy policy next week that will confirm its inability to wean itself from nuclear power.

Thailand will inaugurate a new solar power plant as part of the ADB-funded Lopburi solar project.

Tepco raised household electricity rates by an average of 8.46 percent to help pay rising fuel costs from thermal power generation.

Sales of solar cells in Japan hit 445 megawatts from April to June following a 72% rise year-on-year.

Softbank Corporation and Mitsui & Company have signed a contract to build and operate a 40 megawatt solar power that will be Japan’s largest.

The 27,000-kw plant solar power plant that costs ¥8 billion to build will be constructed by JGC Corp. in the city of Oita.

Vestas Wind Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. are negotiating on a possible strategic cooperation.

JFE Engineering Corp. will conduct a feasibility study on an urban waste power generation project in Yangon.

Myanmar and a Japanese consortium will jointly develop a special economic zone in Yangon, which includes a gas-fired power plant.

Japanese energy company IHI Inc has taken over majority ownership in five biomass power plants located in California.

Japan Mega Solar Power will invest $1.3 billion to develop solar power plants in Japan.

Japan's largest leasing and diversified financial services conglomerate intends to invest US$686 million on solar rooftop projects in the next three years.

Forty five of 109 major Japanese companies said renewable energy can adequately replace nuclear power as sources of electricity in Japan.

A Japanese government opinion poll on future energy policy options revealed that nearly 50 percent of respondents want atomic power off the table by 2030.