Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry budget request increases by 10% ーSupport for development of distributed energy control system by accelerated decarbonization in manufacturing process
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry summarized the estimation of the FY2019 budget request on August 31. The total requirement increased by 10.0% (128 billion yen) compared with the initial budget for FY 2018 to 1,408.5 billion yen. Among them, the Energy Countermeasures Special Account was estimated at 830.6 billion yen, an increase of 6.5% (50.8 billion yen).
It will accelerate efforts to restore, including the promotion of renewable energy industry in Fukushima, and promote technological innovation toward energy conversion and decarbonization in 2050.
In FY2019, it aims to realize policies based on the Fifth Energy Basic Plan. To rebuild and recreate Fukushima, it requested an increase of 18.2% (18.4 billion yen) to 119.6 billion yen. It will promote R & D on abolishment of the reactors and countermeasures to polluted water at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and also focus on initiatives aimed at realizing “Fukushima New Energy Society Concept”. To promote innovative technologies that contribute to energy conversion and decarbonization, 502.1 billion yen, an increase of 7.5% (34.9 billion yen) will be requested. It will drastically strengthen its policies on the realization of the hydrogen oriented society. Demonstration will be implemented to establish an international supply system utilizing unused energy, and the money will be distributed to the development of combustion technology for hydrogen power generation.
Then it will strengthen support for electricity storage technology.
It will accelerate decarbonization in the manufacturing process of various industries and optimize the use of energy. It also encourages the development of the control system to make full use of decentralized energy. Besides, the budget for supporting regional areas including “Nuclear power generation facility location regional infrastructure development support project” also to be increased by 800 million yen to 120.5 billion yen.
Source: Monthly Magazine “Energy Conservation”