Renowned for being a country that values punctuality, tradition, and respect, it may come as a surprise that Japan has decided to bet on something completely outside of its “comfort zone.” The Japanese have decided to bet $80,000,000 on floating giant nuclear power. Very unorthodox for Japan, but perhaps this move was driven by the global mission to reach carbon neutrality. Soon, the country’s renewable energy will be rising from the sea, moving it one step closer to clean, sustainable power.
Japan is joining the flock to greener pastures
The entire world is rushing (and competing somewhat) to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The bigger picture of this rush is to help mitigate the effects of climate change, which has been worsened by greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide. While many nations have turned to renewable energy sources as a solution to the carbon problem, Japan is not considered a renewable energy country – yet.
According to Ember-Energy.org, Japan’s power demand was the fifth largest in the world in 2024, but only 32% of its power was produced from low-carbon sources. That is 9% below the global average of 41%. Japan still heavily depends on fossil fuels, with 70% accounting for its total power in 2022. Now, the country has set a goal of increasing its renewable energy share to 36-38% by 2030, and plans on achieving it by betting big on nuclear power.
Betting on floating giant nuclear power
When we say betting big, we mean $80,000,000 big. This investment will significantly boost the country’s total renewable capacity, and according to the Renewable Energy Institute’s research, the country’s capacity could reach over 90% with sufficient development and investment. So far, 13 companies in total are behind this investment, including Onomichi Dockyard and Imabari Shipbuilding.
Nuclear power in itself may not be renewable, but it is a low-carbon source of power. And that is why Japan has invested in CORE POWER, a company led by Mikal Bøe. CORE POWER focuses on Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPPs), which are barge-based power plants that comprise operational teams, electrical grid integration, and barge support services. Now that nuclear energy could be green soon, this investment could change it all for Japan.
So much more than just power rising from the sea
“Floating new nuclear energy can power the production of the green fuels we need, at either ends of green corridors and offshore major port areas. We can also see a growing interest in new nuclear powered large ships with the combination of higher speeds, true zero emissions and safe port calls bringing economic and competitive benefits to stakeholders.” – Bøe
The company realizes these plants require unique safety, operational, and physics designs to meet the demands of the maritime environment, which is why their nuclear solutions are advanced and ocean-ready. They also offer various advantages, including addressing climate and power security concerns. According to CORE POWER, FNPPs have the following key considerations:
Playing a key role in grid stability
A vital part in achieving the government’s clean energy goals
Providing flexibility for numerous other applications
Desalination, e-fuels, data centres, etc.
Modular shipyard construction can decrease delivery times and construction expenses
According to the International Chamber of Shipping’s survey, 9% of its C-suite members expect nuclear ships within one decade. A report by Splash247.com indicated that a demonstration reactor is planned for 2026 and that the vessel product will be commercialized by the beginning of the next decade. Japan is not the only one; even Africa has decided to play up its nuclear power game. While this may hold great potential for Japan’s overall renewable energy capacity, careful management will be required, as a single material defect could have dire effects on the entire ocean ecosystem and local communities.
AloJapan.com