Japan

A village near the northern tip of Japan's main island is the proving ground for a 5-meter-high (16- foot) bank of batteries built by NGK Insulators Ltd., the Japanese industrial-ceramics maker that may be the world's cheapest wind-energy play.

As one of the world's foremost users of electricity, Japan has a huge burden to carry when it comes to power generation. Logically, it seems that the best way to satisfy this need is nuclear energy. It's relatively clean, efficient, and totally in sync with Japan's meticulously high-tech national character. However, recent events involving repeated safety shutdowns have been leaving power-watchers sceptical about Japan's nuclear future. Japan has been harnessing nuclear power since 1966. At present, there are 55 nuclear plants providing approximately 30% of the country's electricity, and this number is expected to rise up to 40% by 2017.