Power generation - Hatsuden

Japanese: 発電 - はつでん

The conversion of mechanical energy, thermal energy, etc. into electrical energy. In Japan, hydroelectric power generation was the main source of power generation, but as the efficiency of thermal power generation improved, it began to replace hydroelectric power, and now nuclear power generation has become more important. Other types of power generation, such as geothermal power generation, wave power generation, wind power generation, and combined heat and power generation (cogeneration), are being carried out locally and experimentally. Tidal power generation has been put to practical use in France, and research on MHD power generation is being conducted in various countries. Research on direct power generation, such as thermionic power generation and thermoelectric power generation, is also being conducted, and in Japan, fuel cell power generation is currently undergoing demonstration experiments and is promising for practical use. In addition, while solar thermal power generation has been abandoned, photovoltaic power generation using solar cells has been demonstrated and partially put to practical use. The Special Measures Law for the Promotion of the Use of New Energy, etc. (New Energy Law), which came into force in June 1997, encourages consumers and businesses to make efforts to introduce new energy sources, such as solar light and fuel cells, with the aim of popularizing new energy sources. In addition, the government's new energy introduction targets are 4.6 million kW of photovoltaic power generation and 150,000 kW of wind power generation in fiscal 2010. Meanwhile, in 1998, the long-term energy supply and demand outlook was revised to incorporate measures to prevent global warming, and the most important issue was to limit carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2010. Although the trend to prevent global warming has gone through many twists and turns, a consensus is being formed that it must be tackled worldwide. In the midst of this trend, nuclear power generation was reconsidered in the 2000s, and plans to build and introduce new plants were made worldwide, creating a phenomenon known as the "nuclear renaissance." However, the major accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011 shocked the world, forcing countries to fundamentally reconsider their energy policies. Germany, which had announced a resumption of nuclear power generation, changed its policy again to one of de-reliance on nuclear power in response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.
→ Related topics Electricity business | Power supply | Three power supply laws

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

機械的エネルギー，熱エネルギーなどを電気的エネルギーに変換すること。日本では従来水力発電が主であったが，火力発電の効率が高まって水力と交替するようになり，さらに現在は原子力発電の比重が大きくなった。他に地熱発電，波力発電，風力発電，熱併給発電（コジェネレーション）などが局地的・実験的に行われている。フランスでは潮力発電が実用化され，各国でMHD発電の研究が進められている。熱電子発電，熱電発電などの直接発電の研究も行われ，日本では燃料電池発電が実証実験中で実用化が有望。また太陽熱発電は実用化を断念したが，太陽電池による太陽光発電は実証運転と一部実用化がなされた。1997年６月に施行された〈新エネルギー利用等の促進に関する特別措置法〉（新エネルギー法）では，太陽光，燃料電池といった新しいエネルギーの普及を目的に，消費者や事業者に新エネルギー導入に努力することを促している。また，政府の新エネルギーの導入目標では2010年度に太陽光発電460万kW，風力発電15万kWなどとしている。一方1998年，温暖化防止対策を折り込んだ長期エネルギー需給見通しが改訂され，2010年に炭酸ガス排出量を1990年水準に抑えることが最重要課題となった。地球温暖化防止の流れは紆余曲折を経ながらも世界的に取り組まなければならないという合意は形成されつつあり，こうした流れのなかで，2000年代に原子力発電が見直され，新プラントの建設や導入計画が世界的に進められ〈原発ルネッサンス〉ともいわれる現象が起こった。しかし，2011年３月に起こった福島第一原発の大事故は，世界に衝撃を与え，各国のエネルギー政策は根本的な見直しを迫られている。原子力発電の再開を打ち出していたドイツは，福島第一原発事故を受けて，脱原発依存政策に再転換した。
→関連項目電気事業｜電源｜電源三法

出典　株式会社平凡社百科事典マイペディアについて　情報

<<: Generator - Hatsudenki (English spelling) generator

>>: Vattel, Emmerich de