My opinion of this week(585):
Promotion of Solar power generation
"Kansai Electric Power Co., the nation's second-biggest electricity
producer, and Sharp Corp., the consumer electronics giant, announced
plans to set up a solar power plant in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, that
will be one of the world's largest.The two firms aim to demonstrate
their awareness of environmental issues by building the plant, which
will be the first in the nation to deliver solar-generated electricity
to households and factories. " YOMIURI ONLINE July 3
Japan leads the world in the solar power generation technologies. But Japan
is now No.2 country next to Germany as far as volume of electricity generated
by solar system. I wonder why there exists no such solar power generation
plants in Japan so far. Facing to a big increase of oil price and reduction
necessity of CO2 to avoid further warm-up of globe, it is obvious that solar
power generation is one of the good answer to these two serious problems.
Over all electric power generation in Japan still greatly rely on thermal
power generation in addition to atomic power, water power and so on. There are
a lot of arguments among professionals that increase share of atomic power
generation is very necessary which shares now 30% of total from cost and
ecology points of views. But that view has been denied to the great extent
due to a several big earthquakes happened in Japan. The most typical case was
seen at the danger of atomic power generation experienced at Kashiwazaki
Atomic Power station at the time of Niigata Earthquake.
It is a serious responsibility of the Government that could not present any
concrete plan about electric power generation mix in next ten years and decades.
There are several more electric power generation mix such as wind power, solar
power and so on in addition to the present power generation mix. It is obvious
that solar power generation is one of the top alternatives to be considered
from various point of views.
When it comes solar power generation, construction of power generation plant
by electric power firm is not necessary an answer to it. Power generation
are to be made by individual enterprises or households by installing solar
power generation system. Electric power firms buy electricity generated by
each users devices at their sites and deduct the volume of electricity
generated by each consumers from the bill for total consumption. This system
existed already ten or more years before. The system has worked fine as far as
my house is concerned.
I personally installed solar power generation system when I rebuilt my house
in Tokyo 11 years ago. The solar system was so expensive at that time. It cost
almost 2.5 million yen but about 1 million yen was subsidized by the Government
agent. It was such a good system.
But regardless such big subsidized money, total installations cost was not paid
off at that time. I remember I made a lot of discussion in net about the
meaning of such subsidizing plan and such actions by individual users. Most
of people including some professional people in that fields were very
skeptical about power generation by solar system. They said the system does
not work from cost point of view in the short run and long run. My reaction
to that assertion was rather simple.
I admitted such system do not pay off at that time. But I insisted that day
would come when they would pay-off totally in next ten years or more
observing total worldwide energy circumstances. Ecology is not necessarily a
big issue but I believe that that will be an other factor for the necessity
for solar system.
I am quite proud of myself that what said and did 11 years ago was quite right.
I wonder why government do not start resuming subsidy system for individual
households for solar system which they stopped now. Such subsidy plan were now
replaced by local governments. Some local offices have such plan but some have no
such plan at all.
I believe that now is the time for the central government to resume such
subsidy system for solar power generation all over Japan. The government
should start a kind of large scale plan to promote solar power generation
system all over the country.
2008/7/5
Tadahi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(586):
Misconception of new emerging countries
The three-day Group of Eight summit in Toyako, Hokkaido, concluded Wednesday
as the major industrialized powers and key emerging economies agreed to
jointly fight global warming in long terms, but failed to set any quantitative
goals to substantiate their pledge.
It was feared nothing would be decided on climate change at the summit. In
light of this, the G-8 agreement was a step forward. US agreed to set long
term goal cutting CO2 50% by 2050. But in the expansion meeting in the
following day which is participated by none G8 nations, several major non-G8
nations such as China and India turned down the G8's call to share a target
agreed on by the industrial countries the previous day. It is a major source
of disappointment although such reaction from new emerging countries was
expected beforehand.
In many international meetings on warming gas reduction, those new emerging
nations have insisted that reduction of CO2 gas is primary responsibility of
developed countries. It is those industrialized countries that have created
the cause of troubles for warming up of globe. So developed countries are
primary responsible for reducing warming up gas and not new developing
countries.
New emerging countries say that they must continue to expand their economies
to remove poorness in their nations. Emerging powers reiterated they will not
sacrifice their future economic growth for the sake of emissions cuts without
the developed countries first making bold cuts themselves.
Their assertion looks like reasonable at first glance. But I think it is
something wrong with their assertion. They believe that it is those developed
countries that have created the cause of troubles. That's for sure, yes.
But why and how can those new developing nations attain economic growth with
such high speed? It is because those new developing countries can utilize
all sorts of infrastructures for economic growth which have been constructed
by the developed economies.
Those new emerging economies get a lot of benefits from those infrastructures.
Their emerging economies become possible for the exisistense of such
infrastructures. Those infrastructures contain a big merit on one side and
have some demerits on the other hands. Global warm-up is one of typical example
of such demerits or minus effects overall. Are develloping nations able to
just enjoy merit side of environments and neglect or avoid some those
demerits or cost to use the infrastructures in the globe economy? I don't
think so.
The reduction of warm-up gas is definitely necessary and equally required for
any countries, any business enterprises and any individuals. The larger are
the bigger, of course. China is the second largest country which produce such
a huge CO2. They will surely face some serious environmental troubles in their
own country sour or later. They are already in a serious trouble as a matter
of fact.
New emerging countries cannot survive only by themselves. Their economic
development is only possible under the condition that those developed
countries continue to grow to a certain extent as well. And all countries
regardless that is big or small, developed or developing, must survive in the
same condition of reduction of warm-up gas.
I believe that all developed countries including GO, should send stronger
message that all developing nations should shares equal responsilities in a
way to tackle the reduction of CO2 as far as they continue to live in this globe.
Their misconception on this issues should be collected from my point of views.
2008/7/12
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(587):
Are 24-hour shops a waste of energy?
Several local governments start restricting 24-hour convenience stores
operation saying it is one a big source of CO2 gas emission. Several
local governments are considering to ask convenience store operators
in the prefecture to voluntarily refrain from staying open 24 hours,
although this is not limited to convenience stores.
Convenience stores association expressed their concern and objection to
such move insisting the CO2 gas emission by 24 hours operation is only
small part of total gas emission. Although they stop their operations
between 11PM to 7AM, the total reduction of gas is only 5% of total
gas emission in this country.
People in central and local governments, in various industries and in
general public, may be split into fifty fifty as far as this restricting
actions are concerned . People who are not using convenience stores
during mid night or early in the morning support such restrictive
actions. People who are using convenience stores during mid night, are
against such move.
When it comes to myself, I am against such restriction because I am a
typical user of mid night or early morning user of convenience stores.
The stop of 24 hours operation will provide several inconvenience to my
life.
But such personal reason is not any major reason why I do not agree with
such restriction. I can endure any of such inconvenience caused by stopping
24 hour operation without any serious problems.
The major reason why I disagree with the restriction drives from the fact
that many people in government fields and general public may not realize a
kind of very important function which convenience stores contribute to our
life today.
Continence stores today provide ATM service for banks and Japan Post Office.
In other word, they are functioning as terminals for all sorts of net
working business in this country. They also worked as very important source
to provide goods and communication and network services in such big earth
quakes and other natural disasters hit several local area in Japan in recent
years. This is a evidence of the necessity of their existence and meaning
that they operate 24 hours a day.
Networking and networking society is one of a key word for reduction of CO2
gas emission. Continence stores contribute greatly from this point of views.
When it comes the source of CO2 gas, there exists lot more area rather than
convenience stores to restrict their operation in many ways.
I do not deny the meaning of this arguments which are concerned with
restriction of 24 hours operation of convenience stores. The arguments will
be a good start to review all other phases in all other industries and public
governments operation concerning how they are reducing CO2 gas in their
operation.
There are lots more area rather than convenience stores which should be
investigated more carefully about their operation from reduction of gas
emissions points of views.
2008/7/19
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(588):
Projection of chaos in High Vision TV
On July 24, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication held the Conference
to Promote Digitalization of TV Broadcasting by July 24, 2001 at Meijikakan
Hall in Tokyo. The Ministry will hold such conference every half years by
July 24, 2001.
The news was broadcasted by several TV stations. Three top men from TV
stations such as NHK and other private broadcasting corporations met Prime
Minister Fukuda on this event and they all looked very happy in the news.
That's fine but so what? I happened to have some questions on this.
It is the well known fact that the present analog TV will be finished by
July 24, 2001 and all TV broadcasting will be replaced by digital high
vision system just after that point. People including myself know this OK.
Our families start talking about what kinds of higih vision TV set is good
for ourselves although we are not quite excited about it yet. High vision TV
sets are now very popular items at electronics appliance shops in along
with PC.
While watching the news, I began to have some basic questions. When did this
thing start? Why did this thing start? Who did take initiative on this issue
for what purpose? I searched some of those issues by internet by putting
several key words. I could not get almost any satisfactory answers on any
of such basic questions as a result.
I found many technical columns explaining basic structures of digital high
vision TV system but I could not find any of such articles explaining the
meaning of digital TVs in social and cultural point of views.
It is fine to be able to see beautiful TV shots. But so what? What do we do
about it? Is it really worthwhile paying extra money just for that purpose?
There must be something else we must pay more money and attention rather
than just beautiful shots of high vision TV?
I understand the meaning of economic effects of introduction of high vision
system expected in TV broadcasting corporations and TV hardware makers. I also
see some huge favorable economic effects in total national economy. I never
deny that kind of advantage in total. But is that all?
I believe that somebody probably Priminister Yasuo Fukuda, or Hiroya Masuda,
Minister of Internal Affairs and Communication should answer to this question
very clearly. I wish I could ask this to Prime Miniser: "Isn't it Japanese
politics which are necessary to be high visioned first rather than TV."
2008/7/26
Tadashi HAYASE
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