Japanese utilities turn away from coal plans amid green energy boom

Japanese utilities are turning away from new coal-fired power projects in the country amid tighter environmental regulations and increasing demand for greener energy from their key customers. Osaka Gas last week pulled out of plans to build a 1.2 gigawatt coal-fired project, which followed the cancellation in January of a 2 GW coal power station by Kyushu Electric Power , Tokyo Gas and Idemitsu Kosan. In December, Chugoku Electric Power and JFE Steel scrapped plans to build a 1.07 GW station. These moves come as renewable energy is on the rise in Japan and elsewhere, and as the government brings in stricter regulations on new coal-fired power plants.