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World Potential
OVERVIEW OF SMALL-HYDRO IN JAPAN
Japan is almost destitute of natural resources. Water has
been regarded as the one and only resource granted to the
people all across the country. Throughout japan's history,
the utilization of river flows has been of great importance.
In fact, people have built the environment to sustain their
own life by using the fertile land fed by plentiful water.
About 110 years ago, hydro power was first put to practical
use to generate -electricity, and during the first half of
this century it expanded at a good pace throughout the country.
Hydro electricity has been an important user of Japan's water
resources since that time. Local people accepted it with comparatively
little resistance, because it generally did not consume the
water, and it did not significantly impede other users, especially
during the early stages of development.
Stages of Hydropower Development
During the early stages, most hydropower stations were of
the run of the river type, because of the low cost of generation
and the ease of supplying to scattered communities. Gradually,
pondage and reservoir type installations came into being.
Subsequently, a number of reservoir type hydropower stations
with large dams were planned and completed, aiming at a more
effective exploitation of water resources and at the regulation
and stabilization of the electricity supply system. Hydropower
was positioned as the supplier of base energy in the overall
electricity supply structure.
In more-recent years, the growth of the national economy and
the accompanying rapid increase in demand, together with the
global expansion of fossil fuel trading, have led to hydropower
being assigned a secondary role. The primary energy supply
moved to an oil-oriented system. At present, further hydropower
development is not thought to hold much potential, except
for pumped-storage type installations, which are indispensable
to cope with fluctuating peak demand. This shift in the role
of hydropower is also due to depletion of suitable sites and
the resulting higher cost of generation in comparison with
thermal power.
Changes in National
Energy Policy
The New Energy Foundation,
Hydropower Capacity and Energy Production
Legislation and Regulations
Licensing Procedures
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