Japan: Several PV projects are in the pipeline in Japan but is the grid equipped to handle all the solar electricity generated? Izumi Kaizuka of RTS Corporation finds out. Almost a year has passed since The Ministry, of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) started the feed-in-tariff (FIT) program in July 2012. According to METI, from the end of July 2012 to February 2013, 1,256 MW of PV systems were grid connected. Among them, 837 MW were of PV systems with < 10 kW capacity; 310 MW for 10 kW to < 1 MW; and 110 MW for PV systems with 1 MW and above. During the same period, 384,390 projects, totaling 12,258 MW, were approved as shown in the graph Approved PV projects by METI from July 2012 to February 2013. This number gives an optimistic outlook for the Japanese PV market within the global PV sector. However, it is assumed that not all the applied projects will be completed, especially for large-scale applications because approval by METI does not guarantee grid connection.
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