The Yomiuri Shimbun
SoftBank Corp. has gotten the green light to enter the power generation business from its shareholders, opening the way for the firm to launch a solar power company as early as this summer.
SoftBank shareholders on Friday approved a revision of the company's articles of association that added the production of electricity from renewable energy sources to its business operations.
SoftBank plans to set up a subsidiary company to operate a solar business as early as this summer and launch the construction of a power plant by the end of this year.
SoftBank seems to have synergistic objectives for both its power generation and telephony business, observers said.
Company President Masayoshi Son became a staunch supporter of denuclearization following the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
"We have to create energy to replace nuclear power as soon as possible. We want to move toward solving Japan's problems," Son said during the meeting.
Son said his awareness of the energy issue was ignited when he visited evacuation centers in Fukushima Prefecture on March 22, about 10 days after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
On April 20, Son offered some of his private funds to establish a natural energy foundation to promote clean energy.
A bill submitted to the current Diet session for a special measures law on renewable energy sources includes a system that obliges power firms to purchase electricity generated from clean energy sources such as solar and wind power.
If the bill is passed, natural energy generation is expected to create huge business opportunities, even though the cost of generating such power is significantly higher than that of nuclear power generation, observers said.
Furthermore, if a smart grid power transmission network using information technology to automatically manage energy demand and supply is developed, the grid can also be utilized as a communications infrastructure, they said.
IBM Corp. and Google Co. have already embarked on a smart grid strategy.
"It didn't register earlier. [But now I realize] that's so Google," Son said of the companies during the meeting, suggesting SoftBank's plans to enter the power generation business.
When the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry adopted a plan to provide households across the nation with fiber-optic broadband cable services, Son urged NTT Corp. to form a fiber-optic network business offshoot.
Although NTT's fiber-optic division was not spun off to form a new company, the company was forced to lower the interconnection charges to lend its fiber-optic network to other companies.
Meanwhile, commenting on Son's frequent meetings with Prime Minister Naoto Kan, an industry source said, "I doubt [SoftBank] is looking to acquire Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s power supply business under the separation of electricity generation and transmission."
SoftBank and 19 prefectures previously announced they would set up a natural energy council in July to promote clean energy sources such as solar and wind power. An additional 15 prefectures have said they would join the council.
(Jun. 27, 2011)
SoftBank Corp. has gotten the green light to enter the power generation business from its shareholders, opening the way for the firm to launch a solar power company as early as this summer.
SoftBank shareholders on Friday approved a revision of the company's articles of association that added the production of electricity from renewable energy sources to its business operations.
SoftBank plans to set up a subsidiary company to operate a solar business as early as this summer and launch the construction of a power plant by the end of this year.
SoftBank seems to have synergistic objectives for both its power generation and telephony business, observers said.
Company President Masayoshi Son became a staunch supporter of denuclearization following the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
"We have to create energy to replace nuclear power as soon as possible. We want to move toward solving Japan's problems," Son said during the meeting.
Son said his awareness of the energy issue was ignited when he visited evacuation centers in Fukushima Prefecture on March 22, about 10 days after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
On April 20, Son offered some of his private funds to establish a natural energy foundation to promote clean energy.
A bill submitted to the current Diet session for a special measures law on renewable energy sources includes a system that obliges power firms to purchase electricity generated from clean energy sources such as solar and wind power.
If the bill is passed, natural energy generation is expected to create huge business opportunities, even though the cost of generating such power is significantly higher than that of nuclear power generation, observers said.
Furthermore, if a smart grid power transmission network using information technology to automatically manage energy demand and supply is developed, the grid can also be utilized as a communications infrastructure, they said.
IBM Corp. and Google Co. have already embarked on a smart grid strategy.
"It didn't register earlier. [But now I realize] that's so Google," Son said of the companies during the meeting, suggesting SoftBank's plans to enter the power generation business.
When the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry adopted a plan to provide households across the nation with fiber-optic broadband cable services, Son urged NTT Corp. to form a fiber-optic network business offshoot.
Although NTT's fiber-optic division was not spun off to form a new company, the company was forced to lower the interconnection charges to lend its fiber-optic network to other companies.
Meanwhile, commenting on Son's frequent meetings with Prime Minister Naoto Kan, an industry source said, "I doubt [SoftBank] is looking to acquire Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s power supply business under the separation of electricity generation and transmission."
SoftBank and 19 prefectures previously announced they would set up a natural energy council in July to promote clean energy sources such as solar and wind power. An additional 15 prefectures have said they would join the council.
(Jun. 27, 2011)
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