The Setsuden (“saving electricity”) movement, which is supported by the Tokyo government, has gained traction partly because people fear power blackouts.
Japan — dependent on imported oil and liquefied natural gas — saw huge jumps in the amount of industrial production that could be wrenched from each unit of energy, but that drive ran out of steam.
The path ahead requires a massive acceleration in alternative energy systems — wind and solar currently provide less than 2% of Japan’s power.
Former
