Abstract
The increased energy demand and the concerns over the contribution of GHGs to climate change forced governments to formulate and implement policies based on low-carbon alternatives. With this purpose, several multilateral agreements and goals have been adopted collectively, and national policies developed accordingly. Hydrogen, as a carbon-free fuel, currently plays a starring role in the global energy system. Through the Basic Hydrogen Strategy (formulated in 2017 and revised in 2023), the Japanese government and relevant actors aim to decarbonize various sectors including electric power generation and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To this end, the actors actively promote hydrogen by incentivizing its use and developing hydrogen energy-related industries, technologies, and infrastructure domestically and internationally. While existing scholarship helps us understand the role of stakeholders in the early stages of hydrogen deployment in general, it remains unclear what role key stakeholders and multiple actors play and whether their interests and goals are reflected in the process. This research aims to fill that gap through qualitative approaches with a stakeholder-level case study within the Japanese context. Using the Stakeholder Salience Model and analyzing the existing power dynamics, this research investigates the governance structure of Japan with multiple stakeholders accelerating the development of hydrogen energy. It also assesses policy instruments by looking at stakeholder vision, motivation, heterogeneous interests, and their relative power. The findings shed light on the governance strategies and highlight the role of embedded institutional contexts and organizational dynamics by understanding why and how the Japanese government adopts varied strategic tools.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Economic, Social, and Cultural Context
KEYWORDS
Japan energy hydrogen power
