Summary
Entrusted Work to Examine Measures to Use and Provide Information
Concerning the Introduction Potential of Renewable Energies in FY 2021
The introduction of renewable energies is important not only as a countermeasure for
global warming but also from such viewpoints as establishing energy security, developing
autonomous and scattered energy systems and creating new industries and jobs. For thisreason, in an effort to develop basic data to examine measures to introduce and spread theuse of renewable energies in the coming years, the Ministry of the Environment (MoE)
has since FY 2009 been conducting the “Study on the Potential for the Introduction ofRenewable Energies”, etc., proceeding with the development of basic information on thepotential of all types of renewable energies, including PV power, wind power, small andmedium-scale hydropower, geothermal heat, solar heat and underground heat. At the sametime, the MoE disclosed in June, 2020 the Renewable Energy Potential System (REPOS)
which overlays various types of information for easy understanding as information on thepotential of renewable energies is made into cartographic information.
In the light of the Declaration of Carbon Neutrality by the Government of Japan inOctober, 2020 and the enactment of the Act to Partially Revise the Act on the Promotionof Global Warming Countermeasures (May, 2021) and other moves designed to further
drive renewable energies as the principal energy sources, this work involved improvementof the REPOS, consolidation and elaboration of information on the potential of renewableenergies and examination of the next generation REPOS, all of which aimed at facilitating
the process of local decarbonization with due consideration of the revision of the Act onthe Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures.
1.
Improvement, etc. of the REPOS Towards the Facilitation of Local
Decarbonization(1) Consolidation of Information to Assist the Setting Up of Subject Areas for thePromoted Use of Renewable Energies and Introduction Targets for Renewable Energies
The basic design of three tools was completed to support the examination of areas subject
to the promotion of renewable energies and the setting of targets for renewable energies
by local public bodies based on information on the potential of renewable energies in thegeographical areas of their jurisdiction, taking the progress situation of the examinationof operating policies of the draft act to revise the Act on the Promotion of Global WarmingCountermeasures into consideration. Having checked the types of information to beincluded in these tools and ways to develop the tools, the relevant information was
S-1

collected and arranged. The functions and screens of the existing REPOS were improved
to enable the loading of various tools to the REPOS.

Fig.-1 Top Page of REPOS after Improvement(2) Consolidation of Information to Promote Efforts to Facilitate Local Carbonization
Three support tools were developed and loaded to the REPOS to promote the planningand implementation of active renewable energy promotion policies by local public bodies.
These tools effectively combine not only the examination results of (1) above but also
information on the potential of renewable energies by prefecture and also by municipality,
data on actually introduced renewable energies, targets for renewable energies, etc. andother information contributing to the promotion of local decarbonization for their easy
understanding and handling by the relevant officials of local public bodies while bringing
links to other sites into perspective.
Reference materials explaining how to utilize these tools and data to their users wereprepared and loaded to the REPOS for public access. Assistance was also provided forthe preparation of reference materials to be used by those MoE officials in charge at
explanatory meetings organized by the MoE for local public bodies.

S-2

CSV形式により情報を書き出すことも可能

選択域の面積や建物面積、設備容量等を表示

任意のエリアをフリーハンド選択

Fig.-2 Screen Images of Three Tools to Support Local Decarbonization(Left: Suppport Tool to Examine Areas Subject for Promotion; Centre: Support Tool to Set up
Targets for Renewable Energies; Right: Local Public Body Diagnosis Chart)

2. Consolidation and Elaboration of the Potential of Renewable Energies(1) Review of the Definition of Introduction Potential
Various technical terms, including the introduction potential by scenario which wasestimated in the MoE’s Study on the Potential for the Introduction of Renewable Energies
in the past, were reviewed and re-examined so that the contents of these terms could beinstinctively understood.
(2) Elaboration of Information on the Introduction Potential
With PV power and ground wind power, information on the introduction potential waselaborated along with other relevant work using a new estimation method based on
integration or withdrawal as well as the latest trends concerning various categories. For
the review of the estimation category for PV power, the examination priority was given
to the utilization of GIS information and a way of utilizing the type of GIS information
with a high coverage rate of local public bodies. Moreover, a new estimation method wasexamined regarding information on the woody biomass introduction potential and therelevant abundance was estimated.
Most of the results of these estimation exercises were loaded to the REPOS for use with
“1. Improvement, etc. of the REPOS Towards th Facilitation of Local Decarbonization”
in mind.
(3) Estimation of New Information on Potential Using Past Actual Data on Renewable
Energy ResourcesS-3

A potential map was prepared for PV power and wind power from the viewpoint of timeand geography unlike the conventional estimation method. For this purpose, past actual
long-term data based on the time unit for renewable energy resources (based on solar
radiation data and wind condition data) was used. This map was made publicly available
in the form of a video for easy visual understanding by users.
(4) Examination of an Estimation Method for Introduction Potential by Scenario, Taking
Revision of the FIT System into Consideration
In anticipation of the start of the FIP (feed-in-premium) scheme where a certain premium
amount is added to wholesale market prices in April, 2022 following revision of the FIT(feed-in-tariff) system, a possible way of changing the estimation method for theintroduction potential of renewable energies by scenario which presumes the use ofinformation on the conventional FIT system was examined. In regard to PV power inparticular, the examination took an increase of cases not dependent on the FIT system
into consideration.
Moreover, the latest trends related to or which could impact the environment for theintroduction of renewable resources as well as the business environment in Japan werelearned. The relationship between such trends and this Entrusted Work and any possible
impacts of such trends on the Entrusted Work were then sorted and examined.
(5) Examination of the Schedule to Renew Information on the Introduction Potential ofRenewable Energies in the Intermediate Future
The policies and concrete schedules for the renewal and refinement of information in theimmediate future were prepared for all introduction potentials of renewable energies
based on efforts up to the present, various trends concerning the move to make renewableenergies the principal energy sources and the results of the examinations referred to in 1.
through 2.-(4) of this Summary.
(6) Examination of the Development of Data Contributing to the Stable Spread of Smalland Medium-Scale Hydropower
The relationship between the river discharge data surveyed and analyzed in the Entrusted
Work on the Introduction Potential of Renewable Energies in FY 2020 and the market
prices of electricity was continually investigated and the relevant data was prepared andanalyzed. The results of this analysis were uploaded to the REPOS in a way which could
be easily understood by users.
S-4

(7) Preparation and Uploading of a Heat Demand Map
A heat demand map was prepared based on cartographic map data purchased for the Workand was then uploaded to the REPOS.
3. Examination of a Next Generation REPOS(1) Examination to Automate Various Estimates and Automatic Linkage of Data
As the REPOS is destined to handle a far greater amount of information in the coming
years, it is essential to make the renewal of information more efficient and to minimize
human mistakes by means of automating various estimation exercises and data linkage.
For this reason, an automated data linkage method using the API links, etc. with varioussites was examined. In addition, the effectiveness of automation featuring potential
information on ground wind power was checked by means of comparing the existing
estimation method and the automation method.
(2) Examination of Facilitation of the Use of Renewable Energies Through Analysis of
Smart Meter Data and Aerial Images
With such advanced data as smart meter data and AI analysis data of aerial images,
methods to consolidate and use such data were examined to facilitate local
decarbonization. One of the methods examined was visualization of the difference
between the potential of renewable energies and actual introduction performance basedon establishment of the details of the actual performance of introducing renewableenergies. Further examination work involved the search for a model for data sharing
between data holders, such as local public bodies, business operators, etc. and data users.
(3) Examination of a Roadmap for a Next Generation REPOS and Definitions ofRequirements
The requirements for a next generation REPOS were examined and sorted to prepare aroadmap for system development and the draft definitions of the requirements for an
initial system were compiled.
For this examination, the contents of the examinations in 1. through 3.(2) of this Reportwere taken into consideration and the examination committee members and local publicbodies as users were interviewed to establish concrete issues and requests from theviewpoint of user experience (UX). This was followed by the determination of the priority
ranking of items to be uploaded to the REPOS. Further examination was conductedS-5

concerning an operating system for a next generation REPOS and methods to continually
update and expand data and to arrange data links with external sites.

Fig.-3 Examination Results of Next Generation REPOS Screens and Operation by Typeof Use(Purpose of Use: Establishment of Local Power Demand and Current Power Generationby Renewable Energies)
4. Others
The following meetings/groups were established and operated to conduct the Work andthe advice as well as guidance of experts was obtained.
・Meeting to Examine the Investigation and Utilization of the Introduction Potential ofRenewable Energies (held three times)
・PV Power Working Group (met three times)
・Ground Wind Power Working Group (met twice)・Biomass Working Group (met three times)
・Next Generation REPOS Examination Group (met three times)
Various arrangements were made regarding such matters as the operation of the REPOS
and handling of information on the potential of renewable energies. These included thesetting up of an exclusive mail address to centrally receive any enquiries made to the MoE
on the REPOS, support for the preparation of reference materials, handling of new needs,
improvement of the UI/UX of the REPOS and uploading of data to as well as adjustment
of data of the REPOS.

S-6