“Right before the start of commercialization of fuel cell vehicles (FCV) set for 2015 preparations are well underway for arranging for the hydrogen infrastructure for major municipalities nationwide. During the private sector the prototype FCVs has been developed by the part of auto producers and the demonstration hydrogen stations for commercial use has been constructed by infrastructure providers. In addition, the government has been getting into full-scale support of these efforts for FCV introduction by increasing the amount of money in its budget for this purpose.

On September 12 The Ministry of Finance published the total rough estimate of the budgets of all of the ministries which in terms of general accounts totaled around 98 trillion yen. The expenses for recovery and restoration of the damaged area hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake was managed by a special account coming to 4.5 trillion yen, making for a total of 102.5 trillion yen. Of this, the total amount of the rough estimated request which was submitted by the Ministry of the Economy, Trade, and Industry on September came to about 1.7 trillion yen, which was 280 billion yen more than the amount of the initial budget for this year. Furthermore, of this there is an amount of 403 billion yen requested for “The Construction of Structures for the Supply of New Energy.” The amount is 211 billion yen more than the amount initially requested and accounts for the majority of the increase of the total roughly estimated budget of the ministry.

Regarding “The Construction of Structures for the Supply of New Energy,” a spokesperson from the ministry noted, “Focusing on the Basic Energy Plan to be compiled this year we will accelerate a thorough new involvement in the management of energy based on the consumers. Along with working toward achieving energy conservation, we will also strive to achieve an increase of the medium to long term renewable energy ratio, including wind power.” Within this, the request for expenses which the ministry came up with for a thorough expansion of the measures to conserve energy based on a comprehensive management of energy by the consumers amounted to 205 billion yen. In contrast, the amount of the initial budget for this for the previous year amounted to 106 billion yen.

Furthermore, the major amount within this is the 45 billion which forms a subsidy for the expenses involved in promotion of measures to bring in clean energy vehicles. Most of this is expected to be applied to the spreading in use of electric cars, plug in hybrid cars, and clean diesel cars, and electricity fueling equipment for electric vehicles. A large amount will be budgeted the year after next to be used for the FCVs which are planned to be introduced full scale onto the market as of 2015.

What is attracting note is the amount requested related to hydrogen supply facilities. As the budget for the establishment of hydrogen filling facilities for when FCVs are introduced onto the market and for the technology needed for reducing costs, an amount of 7.9 billion has been listed. The amount for the initial budget for last year was 5.3 billion. This breaks down as follows:

5 billion as the Subsidy for the business of establishing hydrogen supply facilities
800 million for the test for technology of the hydrogen infrastructure and hydrogen society (3 billion for the previous year)
2 billion for the research and development of the technology for using hydrogen
The major reduction in the amount requested for next year for #2 can be said to signify the conclusion of the construction of trial facilities such as the hydrogen distribution trial facility, and expectation that the final phase towards the start of commercial use of trial facilities will begin in the next year.”