{"id":20406,"date":"2019-01-31T07:19:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-30T22:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prod-jp-raw.greenpeace.org\/japan\/press-release\/story_6786\/"},"modified":"2024-07-08T09:04:37","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T00:04:37","slug":"story_6786","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/japan\/press-release\/story_6786\/","title":{"rendered":"Move from coal to gas in Sodegaura a half-hearted response to global energy trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

Greenpeace Japan acknowledges today\u2019s announcement from Idemitsu Kosan, Kyushu Electric, and Tokyo Gas to abandon plans to build a coal plant consisting of two units in Sodegaura, Chiba.[1]<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The announcement to cancel coal project development is consistent with trends that are currently happening in Japan and worldwide. Within the past year, several coal projects have already been cancelled in Japan.[2] However, in consideration of long-term sustainability\u2019s perspective, Greenpeace Japan has been requesting the developers to shift to renewable energy instead of investing in another fossil fuel, LNG.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe decision to move away from coal is positive, and the only justifiable decision in light of Japan\u2019s commitment to Paris Agreement as well as last year\u2019s IPCC 1.5 report’s findings. However, the alternative solution proposed by the developers is not a solution at all. The message from climate science is clear: to avoid ever worse impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events witnessed in the recent years, there\u2019s simply no space for any new fossil fuel based power plants, not even gas. What is needed is an urgent shift and investments in energy efficiency and sustainable renewable energy\u201d said Ayako Sekine, Energy Campaigner of Greenpeace Japan.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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The original plan of the three companies was to build a coal plant of 2GW capacity, but according to the companies\u2019 announcement, the economic outlook of the project was not positive enough. This shows that the gap between conventional energy business model and the financial environment, given the reality of climate change, is increasing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Sodegaura coal project has been criticized by civil society, including a group of local citizens, Kiko Network and Greenpeace Japan. During the last years, the groups have repeatedly requested the utilities to stop the project. The groups have for example held meetings with the developers, produced research about the expected air pollution emissions and health impacts of the project, launched petitions for the cancellation of the project, as well as published research on the community\u2019s opinion of the project.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Coal projects are already in financial troubles globally. Last year, research showed 42% of the world\u2019s coal fleet is already unprofitable, with the number projected to get higher in near future. [3] Additionally, securing finance for new coal projects is getting more difficult as an increasing number of financial institutions have announced limitations or total bans to financing coal. [4]<\/span><\/p>\n

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Most recently, Germany announced the country\u2019s phase-out target, including a mechanism for reviewing and updating the target for more ambition. Several other European countries have already set phase-out dates ranging from 2015 to 2030. <\/span><\/p>\n

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While utilities in Japan have started making logical moves to protect themselves from stranded assets risk, the government’s current energy policies are quickly becoming more and more outdated. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cFor Japan to have credibility in global climate and energy politics, and the businesses to be sustainable, other coal projects should follow the example of cancellation like the one for Sodegaura today, with the long-term perspective based on climate science and the risk analysis. This is an urgent task for utilities, the project\u2019s funders and the government.\u201d says Sekine.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Notes:<\/b><\/p>\n

[1] <\/span>https:\/\/www.tokyo-gas.co.jp\/Press_e\/20190131-02e.pdf<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

[2] Recent coal project cancellations and fuel switches in Japan:<\/span><\/p>\n