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The race for developing Alternative Energy is on worldwide. Harnessing wind energy is a fast growing energy alternative in Japan. Japan is a densely populated, and that has both advantages & disadvantages.

Wind energy production facilities are near-shore installations or offshore installations in the future, that will have the possibility of production of wind energy through out the year. While going offshore, it’s more expensive because the construction of foundations is expensive. But if the wind is stronger offshore, it can offset the higher costs. The price—if measured per kilowatt-hour, is going lower, due to the fact that turbines are getting cheaper & more efficient. So cheaper wind power is creating increased interest in wind energy. Compared to other renewable energy sources, wind is by far the most competitive today. If we’re able to utilize sites close to the sea or at sea with good wind machines, then the price per kilowatt-hour is competitive against other sources of energy.

Vestas of Denmark, is heavily invested in Japan to generate wind energy in Japan & is expanding its wind turbine power generating capacity to meet the demand for renewable energy in Japan & worldwide. Offshore installations are being generating wind energy, giving Japan the lead in production & use of renewable energy resources.

As these trends pick up worldwide, wind energy will be more affordable renewable resource.
The Japanese who have heavily depended on energy supplies from foreign nations— they need to produce energy of their own. Japan being an isolated island nation with few natural resources, wind energy has become a viable source of environment friendly energy. Knowing the importance of indigeneous production of energy, Japan has encouraged foreing investments in this sector. This is definitely a good policy with multiple benefits and is worth emulating by all nations.

The production of energy through microhydoelectric power plants has also been catching on in Japan. Japan has many rivers and mountain streams, and these are ideally suited places for installing microhydroelectric power plants (power plants run by water which have a maximum output of 100 kilowatts or less) . By comparison plants producing up to 1000 kilowatts of electrical energy are classified as “minihydroelectric” power plants. Kawasaki City Waterworks, Japan Natural Energy Company, and Tokyo Electric Power Company have all been involved in the development of small-scale hydroelectric power plants within Japanese cities. Other nations with water resources in mountain areas can also follow this example in future & benifit from the excellent alternative energy source - Hydroelectric Plants.

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