The puzzle is easy to solve - you are confusing completely different forms of solar energy:
In your first comment you mentioned "passive solar water heaters", in connection with "most domestic hot water in Japan", which is solar _thermal_. I quoted the proliferation data for solar thermal water heaters in Japan, based on the survey of the manufacturers association. Your references 1,2,3,4,5 talk about "PV", spell photovoltaics, which is solar _electric_. To use photovoltaics to produce heat is inefficient thus rare. Japan heavily subsidizes grid-connected solar electricity (not off-grid solar electricity!) to 1) meet daytime power demand peaks which cannot be met with nuclear power because of their constant output and to 2) provide stable domestic income to the PV industry so that they stay competitive in the export markets. PV in Japan is a feel-good product that helps nuclear power and the export business of four PV manufacturers. The tax payer is told "this is eco", some would call it dumping. The Tokyo Electric business plan calls for _more_ consumption of electricity in Japan in _inefficient_ areas, i.e. invites waste instead of reducing waste. Heating and warm water are the easiest applications of solar thermal energy. Yes, Japan *was* a big user of solar thermal, that is why you can see many old solar hot water heaters in Japan, out of use, numbers decreasing. Oskar Bartenstein http://www.ecolifelab.com On 9/14/2010, "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >That doesn't seem to be right, Oskar. > >This is from Wikipedia, mostly about PV: > >>Solar power in Japan has been expanding since the late 1990s. The >>country is a leading manufacturer of solar panels and is in the top >>5 ranking for countries with the most solar PV installed. Japan is >>third in the world in total solar power (behind Germany and Spain), >>with most of it grid connected. > >Wiki's refs: > >1. National survey report of PV Power applications in Japan 2006 >retrieved 16 October 2008 >http://www.iea-pvps.org/countries/download/nsr06/06jpnnsr.pdf > >2. Global Market Outlook for photovoltaics until 2013 retrieved 22 May 2009 >http://www.epia.org/index.php?id=491 > >3. Japan renews focus on solar power ><http://www.upi.com/Energy_Resources/2008/12/26/Japan_renews_focus_on_solar_power/UPI-37681230300775/> > >4. Soto, Shigeru (2010-02-09). "Japan's Solar Panel Sales Rise to >Record on Subsidy (Update1)". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 2010-09-10. ><http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-09/japan-s-solar-panel-sales-rise-to-record-on-subsidy-update1-.html> > >5. Yamamoto, Masamichi and Osamu Ikki (2010-05-28). "National survey >report of PV Power Applications in Japan 2009". International Energy >Agency. Retrieved 2010-09-10. ><http://www.iea-pvps.org/countries/download/nsr09/NSR_2009_Japan_100620.pdf> > >I often see passive solar water heaters in the rural areas, and in >the suburbs. There's one on our roof. Sadly, it's not in use. This >old house has two water systems, an old well with a pump, and, later, >mains, and the solar heater is connected to the well. The house uses >the mains supply, along with an energy-saving (allegedly) electric >water heater. We don't own the house, and I won't interfere. Other >houses here have passive solar water heaters that are in use. > >Best > >Keith > > >>Thank you for your reply. >> >>2007, solar thermal systems installed total in Japan >>residential use was 1%, simple batch heaters less than 7% >>and rapidly *de*creasing. >>source: http://www.ssda.or.jp/profile/databook.pdf�p27 >> >>In Tokyo, the *first* condo with solar thermal was >>just put on the market a week ago, >>http://www3.daiwahouse.co.jp/mansion/kanto/29000/setagaya282/ >>pointing the way but also illustrating how far Japan is lagging behind >>and how huge the remaining solar thermal market in Japan is. >> >>Kind regards >>Oskar Bartenstein http://www.ecolifelab.com >> >>On 9/14/2010, "Keith Addison" wrote: >> >>>One thing to add, I think most domestic hot water in Japan is >> >currently heated by passive solar systems. > > >_______________________________________________ >Biofuel mailing list >Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel > >Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > >Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): >http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
