Japan expects to get more than 20% of its power supply from renewable sources by 2030, government officials on Tuesday told a committee crucial in drawing up Japan’s post-2020 climate target.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) expects some 200 billion kilowatt hours to be supplied from renewable sources in 2030, in line with the Basic Energy Plan, which was endorsed by the cabinet last year, the Kyodo news agency reported.

The officials provided the figure during a meeting with experts from a committee set up by METI to make recommendations on Japan’s future energy mix.

The energy mix committee will deliver one of two major reports leading up to Japan’s INDC decision, the other report will come from an INDC committee established jointly by METI and the Ministry of Environment.

The energy mix committee is expected to submit its recommendations ahead of the June G7 meeting in Germany, with the INDC committee following soon after.

After Japan announces its INDC around mid-year, a new committee is expected to draw up policies and other measures required to meet the target.

With Japan’s nuclear fleet suspended over security concerns, its future emissions target will rely heavily on its expectations on how much it will be able to achieve on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“One major challenge is that the domestic governmental process completely lacks momentum while the international climate policy discussion has been showing a sign of resurge during the last year,” Naoyuki Yamagishi with WWF Japan told Carbon Pulse.

Japan drew criticism during UN talks in Warsaw in November 2013, when the government announced Japan would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 3.8% below 2005 levels by 2020.

The new target equaled a 3.1% growth from 1990 levels, whereas the previous government had pledged to cut emissions 20% from 1990 to 2020.

By Stian Reklev – stian@carbon-pulse.com