Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2023) 138: 587
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-04206-8

Letter to the Editor

Necessity of a nationally coherent energy strategy for meeting the Paris Agreement: a case study for Japan

¹ Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka, Japan
² Digital Grid Consortium, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan

^a muraokakatsunori10_15@ybb.ne.jp

Received: 8 February 2023
Accepted: 16 June 2023
Published online: 5 July 2023

Abstract

This letter intends to convey the importance of a nationally coherent energy strategy in order to try to meet the Paris Agreement by showing the Japanese case under various constraints. First, an approach to try to reach the goal is pursued by fully utilizing most reliable renewable energies, namely wind and solar photovoltaic (PV). Although the present government has been trying to change various legislation/regulations toward using more nuclear energy, it is of the present authors’ opinion that this change is not suitable under various conditions for Japan even in the short range of a decade or two. Because wind and PV are variable in time (VRE), there has to be some form of back-up energies in case an instantaneous load exceeds an overall VRE output at that moment. Here, the Japanese government has been pursuing a consistent approach of fully exploiting the potential of hydrogen in the recent past. In addition, because VRE is very thinly distributed over the earth surface, the limited area is the largest hurdle for the mountainous and populous/energy-thirsty Japan. In order to overcome these difficulties, the necessity of fully exploiting offshore wind is stressed.