The theme of "Gaia's Dawn" broadcasted on Friday, January 21 (every Friday at 10:00 pm) is "The world is pitch black! The day the electricity goes out-the truth about the power shortage-" . Japan used to be an honor student in the stable supply of electricity even among developed countries. What's going on now... and the world is in a much more serious situation. Pursue the truth behind the global power shortage.

The average household electricity bill has risen by about 1,300 yen?

The day Tokyo was hit by the heaviest snow in four years. Demand for electricity surged, and we were hit by power outages. Mr. Okada, who works for an IT company, lives in an apartment in Tokyo with his wife, who is on maternity leave, and three children. Heating is indispensable at this time of year, and the Okada family's electricity bill was higher than the previous year in most months last year. The average household electricity bill calculated by TEPCO is said to increase by about 1,300 yen in January 2022 compared to January 2021. Currently, about 77% of the power sources in Japan are natural gas, coal, oil and thermal power generation. Renewable energy such as wind power is about 17%. There is an urgent need to increase the proportion of renewable energy, aiming for global decarbonization standards by 2030. Associate Professor Ryoichi Komiyama, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, said, "How can we control the risk of rising electricity prices in the long term due to the large-scale introduction of renewable energy? Abolition progresses and the supply capacity as a whole declines. That's the outlook for the next 10 years." There was a serious power shortage all over the world. Even in Spain, which gets 23% of its electricity from wind power, the amount of power generated decreased last fall due to low winds. Electricity bills have also doubled in one year from last year, which has had a big impact on my life. "The number of households unable to pay their electricity bills is increasing. Meanwhile, the major electric power companies continue to increase their profits," said the organizer of the protest demonstration against soaring electricity prices. In Spain, there are three rates set depending on the time. Prices are higher during weekday afternoons and evenings, and lower during late nights and weekends. In China, on the other hand, the government tightly controls electricity bills. Due to the large impact on people's lives, the price hike for households has been postponed, and electricity prices in urban areas have remained relatively stable. Amidst worldwide power shortages, the price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is rising year by year, and LNG is in competition. The main component is methane, which becomes liquid when cooled, making it easy to transport and store in bulk. LNG is the same fossil fuel as coal and oil, but it emits less CO2. Japan imports 76.5 million tons of LNG annually from Australia and other countries. 38% of Japan's electricity is made from liquefied natural gas. Japan's largest LNG storage terminal in Sodegaura City, Chiba, can store the amount used by 2.3 million households for a year. Why is the demand for LNG increasing now? Director Akira Inukai says, "Europe has wind power, for example, but the wind doesn't blow much these days. South America depends on hydroelectric power generation, so rainfall drops and there isn't enough gas to make up for it. We want LNG.In such a market, LNG prices and international prices are rising." The Anesaki Thermal Power Station is close to Sodegaura. It is said that a mission is being carried out at this location, where Tokyo Gas partially supplies LNG. Last December, Nao Matsushita, a program guide, visited and reported on the whole story.

What is the choice to think about power supply, "Electricity with a visible face"?

There are people who choose electricity with a new sense of value. Katsuhito Okubo, the owner of Denkiyu sento, recently switched to Minna Denryoku, a 100% renewable energy company. I wanted to buy it from a place where I could be satisfied even if it was a little expensive. Mr. Okubo signed a contract with "UPDATER" in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. The president, Mr. Tsukasa Oishi, was a company employee at a major printing company, but he established the company with his friends. From the outset, we aimed to become an electric power company that handles only renewable energy. Minna Denryoku now has contracts with more than 600 power plants. With the rise of environmental awareness in recent years, annual sales are over 13 billion yen. Mr. Oishi is extremely particular when it comes to selecting power plants to team up with. "We have proper procurement standards, and for example, we do not buy solar power generation that is causing local disputes. Even electricity has a face. There is always a producer for your electricity," he said. Mr. Oishi is aiming for electric power that allows us to see the faces of the producers. One of the selected power plants was the Ohirune Mikan Odawara Power Plant in Odawara City, Kanagawa. Yamato Oyamada, who runs this power plant, spent 15 million yen to build the equipment. The plant produces about 58 kilowatts of electricity per day, enough to power 20 households. Originally an abandoned farmland, agriculture was revived under the panel. We are developing a business called solar sharing that combines agriculture and power generation, and the annual income from power generation is about 1.4 million yen. It will be of great help to farmers. All the electricity generated by Mr. Oyamada will be purchased by Minna Denryoku. It is also used at the Starbucks Coffee Odawara Iizumi store, which is 1.5 kilometers away from the rice fields. Starbucks has declared that it will replace the electricity used in all its stores with renewable energy, and is aiming for local production for local consumption by procuring electricity locally. Inami town, Hyogo. In a quiet town with a population of about 30,000, Mr. Oishi started a new initiative. The first full-fledged power plant built in-house. Powered by solar power, it is said to be able to provide electricity for 250 houses. What is the future Mr. Oishi draws? In addition, the program urgently covers unknown sites in China ahead of the "Beijing Winter Olympics". China was hit by a blackout last year, and in an effort to survive the current crisis, it was running its coal-fired power plants at full capacity. China is making a comeback to coal-fired power generation while advocating decarbonization. The rapid increase in demand was causing coal prices to skyrocket and creating new problems. Is it possible to achieve both environmental measures and power security? Person who wants to see this broadcast to "TV Tokyo BIZ"!