Japanese government contemplates cutting FiT

Japan is considering cutting the rate that utilities pay for surplus solar power by 12.5 per cent in April, according to financial newspaper Nikkei. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to lower the feed-in tariff from the current rate of US$0.584 per kilowatt to US$0.511 per kilowatt.

The ministry will make its final decision on whether to cut the tariff or not by mid-February; a fall in the cost of solar panels in Japan is thought to be the reason behind the proposed cut.

Japan introduced the feed-in tariff in November 2009 to encourage use of solar energy and help reduce the country’s carbon