Supplemental Data Archive for: Social Equity Impacts in Japan’s Mega-Solar Siting Process

We employ qualitative content analysis on 29 survey responses from local officials around Japan’s 200 largest mega-solar plants constructed since 2012. Japan’s energy market has seen the siting and construction of over 2800 new mega-solar power plants since the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff policy in 2012. While scholars have highlighted the potential for community-engaged renewable power development with social benefits for local residents, many major mega-solar projects have instead resulted from industry-led initiatives in locations, largely avoiding community engagement. In this study, we draw from distributive energy justice perspectives to analyze social equity impacts of the mega-solar siting process. In our paper, we contextualize results through 18 interviews with relevant actors in six case studies. We find that given the existence of the Feed-in Tariff and sufficient solar irradiation, the availability of underutilized land decreases community bargaining power compared to historical power plant siting agreements. This results in primarily land leasing benefits and municipal tax revenue with minimal additional social impacts, such as employment. In our paper, we outline a model of causation for mega-solar social equity impacts, Japanese policy implications, and directions for future quantitative research.

本研究针对2012年以来日本建成的200座大型光伏电站（mega-solar）周边的地方官员，收集29份调查问卷回复并开展定性内容分析。自2012年引入上网电价补贴（Feed-in Tariff）政策以来，日本能源市场已新增超过2800座大型光伏电站的选址与建设项目。尽管学者们早已强调，以社区参与为核心的可再生能源开发可为当地居民带来社会福祉，但多数大型光伏电站项目实则由行业主导推动，且在选址阶段大幅规避社区参与。本研究基于分配性能源正义（distributive energy justice）视角，分析大型光伏电站选址过程中的社会公平影响。本文通过对6个案例研究中的18名相关行动者开展访谈，为研究结果提供具体语境支撑。研究发现，在上网电价补贴政策与充足的太阳辐照度条件下，相较于传统电站的选址协议，未充分利用土地的可获得性削弱了社区的议价能力。这使得项目仅能带来土地租赁收益与市级税收收入，而就业等额外社会收益则微乎其微。本文阐述了大型光伏电站社会公平影响的因果模型、日本政策启示及未来定量研究的可行方向。