Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan is expected to announce a drive towards renewable energy, including slashing the cost of solar power, when he meets fellow leaders of the G8 rich nations group later this week, media reports say.
One target will be to increase the use of solar power 15-fold by 2030, according to the Asahi newspaper, while the Nikkei business daily said every new building, including residential houses, will be required to have solar panels by then.
The shift reflects efforts to ensure energy security and safety as regions hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which knocked out several power stations, face possible blackouts during the peak summer demand period, possibly even beyond this year.
Japan was the world's third-biggest user of nuclear power before the quake. But enthusiasm for nuclear energy has waned since the tsunami triggered a crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi plant, where engineers are still struggling to control reactors that had fuel meltdowns and stop radiation leaks that have caused thousands of residents to be evacuated.
Softbank Corp , Japan's third-largest mobile phone operator, said on Wednesday it plans to invest several percent of its more than 3 trillion yen ($36.6 billion) of sales revenues in solar power.
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