Market Trends of Japan Power EPC Industry
Renewables Segment to Witness Significant Growth
- Renewable power sources are gaining importance as clean energy sources in the country; Japan depends heavily on non-renewable energy sources, like coal and gas, for power generation. Renewable power provides energy security without being dependent on limited natural resources.
- The increased investment in renewable energy projects from private companies and supportive government policies are likely to boost the demand for power EPC services in Japan during the forecast period. Rapid technology improvements, decreasing costs of renewable energy resources, and increased battery storage competitiveness have made renewables one of the most competitive energy sources in many areas.
- For instance, in 2022, the total renewable energy installed capacity of Japan accounted for 117,528 MW, which was greater than 111,856 MW as compared to the previous year's capacity. Thus, with the increase in installation capacity, investments in renewable energy projects are likely to increase, which, in turn, will create demand for the EPC market in the future.
- Furthermore, the government of Japan has set a net zero emission target to be achieved by 2050. The ambitious target has led to a significant increase in renewable energy projects in the country, and mainly solar projects have witnessed significant investment in the last few years.
- For instance, in April 2022, Japanese utility Jera Co., Inc. and domestic renewable engineering firm West Holdings finalized a deal for developing and constructing at least 1 GW of solar projects on the local market. Under the agreement, the tie-up was expected to install photovoltaic (PV) parks at new and former power plant sites owned by the Tokyo-based electric company, and the work was to be carried out over four years.
- All these initiatives will likely boost the number of renewable energy projects in the country in the near future, providing a significant opportunity for power EPC companies as the renewable energy projects are located in off-grid locations that need to be connected with the national grid. Hence, the rise in the renewable energy segment is expected to witness significant growth in the power EPC market in Japan during the forecast period.
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Increase Investment in Smart Grid Network
- In the last few years, there has been a rise in investment in smart grids; this can be attributed to the aging grid network in Japan. Furthermore, Japan witnessed more earthquakes than other countries due to its location, affecting the power networks.
- According to Japan's Infrastructure Ministry, the cost of maintaining and fixing old infrastructure could swell to USD 41.4 billion by 2023. Thus, the government aims to deploy smart and advanced grid connections in the country, providing stable and reliable electricity all across the country.
- The smart grid helps ensure the safer and more secure delivery of electricity. It provides the foundation for new market structures and a higher quality of service to customers. In addition, smart grids are critical enablers of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation as they increase the hosting capacity of renewable generation, improve asset utilization, and increase resiliency.
- Moreover, the electricity industry in Japan sees the smart grid as a suite of information-based applications made possible by increased automation of the grid as well as the underlying automation and communication infrastructure itself.
- Furthermore, Japan witnessed a steady rise in demand for electricity in the country. In 2020, the country generated 997.0 terawatt-hours of electricity, and in 2021, it increased by 1019.7 terawatt-hours, which was 2.6% higher than in 2020.
- Further, due to advancements in technology used in manufacturing, demand from the industrial and commercial sectors is likely to increase in the near future. All these sectors need a steady power supply, and a smart grid could play a vital role.
- Increased investment in the smart grid project would lead to higher demand for power EPC services, fueling the power EPC market in Japan during the forecast period.
