An internet-inspired electricity grid

Japan's plan to phase out its nearly 50 gigawatts of nuclear capacity over the next two to three decades has opened a window for renewable energy in the country. But swapping wind and solar power for that nuclear generation, which produced 30 percent of Japan's electricity prior to the 2011 Fukushima crisis, could also lead to major disruptions in energy supply, warns Rikiya Abe, a University of Tokyo professor. The problem, says Abe, who came to academia after working in the electrical generation industry for 30 years, is that Japan's grid-and indeed that of many developed countries-is set up to be centrally controlled. The utilities have to carefully regulate the grid's frequency and voltage by maintaining a fine balance between power generation and changing demand. A diverse group of large Japanese firms is starting to explore a solution-a gradual reorganization of the country's power system so that in the end it resembles the Internet, routers and all.