Short on Land, Japan Is Building Solar Farms on Old Golf Courses
Mountainous, densely populated Japan has little land available for large solar farms, so developers are erecting arrays on many of the now disused golf courses that proliferated during the country's 1980s economic boom. Read more on E360 →
Japan, with its mountainous terrain and high population density, lacks ample space for expansive solar farms. Consequently, developers have turned to repurposing former golf courses, which were abundant during Japan's 1980s economic boom. Bloomberg's analysis revealed that 9 percent of Japan's utility-scale solar capacity is situated on these decommissioned courses.
Once a testament to Japan's economic growth, many golf courses have seen a decline in popularity, prompting closures. The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and subsequent public outcry led to the shutdown of numerous nuclear reactors. In response, the government introduced substantial incentives for solar developers, resulting in a surge of new large installations.
While some developers have considered utilizing abandoned farms for solar projects, including in Fukushima where land has been rendered uninhabitable by radioactive contamination, many solar farms have been constructed in the foothills outside of Japanese cities. These projects have displaced forests and elevated the risk of landslides, sparking public opposition.
However, Japan's former golf courses present a more favorable alternative, as they are generally affordable, flat, and already connected to the power grid. Bloomberg found that at least 10 percent of utility-scale capacity that has been announced or is currently under construction is located on golf courses.
Written by urgent.news from Yale Environment 360's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
