Japan is largely maintaining its policy on infrastructure exports for overseas coal-fired power developments, but it also tightens some conditions. The minor revision was made during the policy review on July 9 by the country’s environment, trade and industry (METI), foreign affairs, and finance ministries.
The revision allows the government to fund only coal projects involving cutting-edge technology, including carbon capture and storage (CCUS), ultra-supercritical (USC) with more than 43% generating efficiency, biomass or ammonia co-firing, integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC), and carbon recycling capable of containing CO2 emissions as much as IGCC.
The revised policy mandates Japan and importing countries to set long-term decarbonisation strategies. However, details regarding this term remain unspecified.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration has been supporting coal projects under an energy policy to tap the growth potential in developing countries. However, Japan itself has been shifting away from coal. Earlier this month, METI decided to scrap old inefficient coal-fired power plants in Japan.
