NEW PROGRAMME, SOLAR PROGRAMME

Wind is one of three technologies -- the others being photovoltaics (PV) and fuel cells -- in a new energy promotion programme administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) of Japan. "Field Test for New Energy Power Generation" has a budget of YEN 1859 million, the lion's share of which, YEN 1699 million, goes to PV with wind and fuel cells allocated YEN 80 million each. Of the wind budget, YEN 60 million is reserved for wind data collection and analysis and YEN 20 million for wind plant design. Subsidies for the installation of wind turbines will be granted in the second year of the programme.

Of the many applications received by NEDO, seven wind data collection and analysis projects were chosen instead of the intended three, along with two system-design projects. On-site wind measurements are due to start this month and continue for a year.

For fiscal year 1996, starting in April, NEDO has applied for a budget of YEN 390 million for wind projects. Of this, YEN 60 million would go to wind data collection at three sites, YEN 30 million for wind plant system design at three sites and YEN 300 million for installation of wind plant at two sites. As the budget for installation subsidies is likely to be too high for the numbers of applications, NEDO is considering moving some of the cash over for wind measurements.