2018 Volume 14 Issue 4 Pages 267-276
Against a backdrop of various unprecedented affairs associated with energy, such as shale gas revolution, historic collapse in oil prices, and rapid penetration of renewable energy to cope with the climate change issue, the world is now in the midst of “energy transition” in which the energy demand-supply structure drastically changes. In the industrial revolution back in the 18th century, the invention of the steam engine with coal as an energy source made productivity of the society exponentially increase. Subsequently, the emergence of fossil oil, which is more convenient than coal, stimulated the energy transition which replaced coal in the middle of the 20th century, and largely affected the world’s industry and economy as well as lifestyles. This article reveals the real picture of the recent movement of energy transition that is currently re-emerging, and analyzes the risks which the energy transition poses to Japan.
