Saturday, April 9, 2011
Japan, in wake of nuclear crisis, orders summer energy cutbacks
This article reports about the energy cutbacks ordered by the Japanese government as result of crisis at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The large businesses are ordered to cut back energy consumption by at least 25 percent, smaller by 20 percent and households by 15 percent. These cut backs in energy consumption will most likely result in decreased productivity that will "lead to a lessening in terms of international competition for Japan" according to a head of energy task force. The biggest problem of this energy cutback order will be to work around the changes in a way that can satisfy both business demand as well as the workers. Companies will be required to use less energy to produce products of equal quality which some people see as a challenge to lead in green-energy technology revolution. Another implication due to the earthquake/tsunami is Japan's pledge to cut greenhouse gas emission by 25 percent by 2020. The lessening of nuclear power will push for a different energy source. Japanese government is faced with tough questions that will effect the future of its citizens and its place in the world.
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2 comments:
Japan made a smart decision by ordering a summer energy cutback in order to prevent outages. It seems to me that Japan doesn't have a choice but to cut back for the summer, therefore, its economy will take a moderate hit. But at the same time, maybe the generations there will learn how to conserve energy more efficiently and come up with some innovative ideas to increase efficient energy. Nevertheless, this is unfortunate in the short term but may prove to be useful in the long term.
This is indeed a smart decision. Although it will decrease productivity through out many parts of Japan, the companies have to think a better way to be more productive and more efficient for the best source of energy available to them.
Also, it will push for a "greener" effort, in which Japan will have to find new energy source, safer and more reliable, than the nuclear plants.
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