Ordinances and Public Notices for Enforcement of the Act on Rationalizing Energy Use and Shifting to Non-fossil Energy Promulgated Today

[ⅰ] Expanding the scope of energy subject to the rational use of energy to non-fossil energy
In response to the fact that the revised Act expands the scope of energy to non-fossil energy, METI stipulated the provisions for calorific conversion coefficients of non-fossil fuels, e.g., hydrogen and ammonia, which are used by businesses in regular reporting of their energy consumption.

[ⅱ] Measures for the shift to non-fossil energy
METI newly established “Decision-Making Criteria for Businesses in the shift to Non-Fossil Energy at Factories, etc.” The criteria show [ⅰ] actions taken by businesses to tackle the shift to non-fossil energy, e.g., choosing facilities exclusively for power generation and cogeneration that are tailored to use of non-fossil fuels, and [ⅱ] reference levels in achieving the goal, i.e., shift to non-fossil energy, for certain industries, such as manufacture of iron and steel (blast furnaces and electric furnaces), manufacture of cement, manufacture of paper and paperboard, manufacture of chemical and allied products (petrochemicals and soda), and manufacture of motor vehicles.

Moreover, the measures require specified businesses, e.g., those running factories or those in the field of certain services, to submit a goal to improve the ratio of non-fossil electricity to the total energy that they have consumed.

Likewise, METI newly established separate decision-making criteria for consignors, cargo transportation businesses and passenger transportation businesses in the shift to non-fossil energy. The criteria show [ⅰ] actions taken by businesses in the field of transportation to tackle the shift to non-fossil energy, e.g., switching the means of transportation from diesel vehicles, etc. to electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, etc., and [ⅱ] reference levels in achieving the goal, i.e., shift to non-fossil energy, e.g., the ratio of non-fossil energy vehicles to the total number of cargo vehicles used for transportation.

[ⅲ] Measures for the optimization of electricity demand
METI showed guidelines for actions taken by businesses for the optimization of electricity demand , e.g., shifting the existing use of grid power to the use of fuels or thermal energy during hours when the supply and demand balance is tight or utilizing storage batteries, etc. during hours when output is controlled.

Moreover, METI also decided to newly require businesses to submit, in regular reporting, the number of times that they have conducted the demand-response program.