Question and Answer with JCRE Representative,Prof. K.Kurokawa1)
The following is to report the interview from Mainichi Newspaper to Prof.
Kosuke Kurokawa of JCRE (Japan Council for Renewable Energy), which
was delivered on May 25 in the morning. The interview was planned inconsideration for G8 summit held on May26-27 at Deauville, France.
Q1. Renewable energy is focused, reflecting on Fukushima nuclear power
plant incident, how do you think ?
Recently, May 9, IPCC publicized in their report that, as maximum case, renewable energy has
possibility of satisfying 70% of total energy consumed in global world in 2050. Strengthening therenewable energy use will be common subject in the table of G8. If it is announced such a such, this is
big fruit for all the people of world. Renewable energy is really clean energy and there is nothing intrailing the uneasy spots in the future. It fully supports sustainable globe forever.
Q2. But, cost is expensive, is not it ?
Surely it is true. Innovative challenge is required to reduce the cost through the effort of increasing
the conversion efficiency, manufacturing efficiency, new material development, and so on. But, even if
such a big innovation is not so much, cumulation of manufacturing mass volume including export
and better to better idea development for manufacturing products can result possible in reducing
power generation cost to 1/3 of current household power cost, we have surely assessed.
Q3. How to you think about instability as electric power ?
To solve instability which is relative feature of renewable energy, installation of battery system isconsiderable solution in formulating intelligent and integrated network system among many
resources of energies in both supply and demand sides. As of battery, lithium ion battery has asuperior sophisticated characteristics. If its market comes to expand, cost is quite reduced, webelieve.
Q4. Is it available and usable in developing country too ?
It will be necessary to support both technology and fund from developed countries. Renewableenergy composes a lot of variety menus, photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, biomass, geothermal, andso forth, which means, country or area of country can choose the most suitable one to use. In fact,many countries in Middle East Asia have been challenging to the renewable energy use, supposing
available shortage of oil well in near future.
Q5. How do you think about nuclear power plant, should it be reduced ?
People recognized in Fukushima crisis that it has large risk while it has been believed safe andreliable so far. Choice of power from the people is deemed to be shifted to opposite side of preferenceof nuclear. But to say no more need from now is not realistic. Discussion on the continuation will
have to be conducted among stakeholders in every periodical legal turnaround timing by plant. I
seem the time had come 50 years ahead compared with the description of IPCC special report. Suchthat, it is clear this incident gave the big impact to the society of world.
Q6. Prime minister, Mr. Naoto Kan plans to unveil the progression policy of renewable energy in G8.
How do you think ?

It is very good. But, reality should be started from now. At first, government decision is mandatory
especially for relaxation of many legal barrier laws and assured structure of fund supporting system
to deploy various renewable energies. There are nothing of countries to say complaint against
introducing renewable energy. Japan, having had important experience through the crisis, should
not hesitate to go ahead.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1) Kosuke Kurokawa,Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Emeritus Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Representative, Japan Council for Renewable Energy--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------