Solar Sharing Now (2020) and Then (2014)

Overview of major changes in Japan's FIT system and solar sharing over the past six years.

It seems that many readers of this blog are interested in solar sharing rather in goats and chickens. I certainly get more inquiries about solar sharing. (Actually since we stopped selling eggs, I've got, unsurprisingly, exactly zero inquiries about chickens, while I got dozens about solar sharing.) 

Our farm, which started generating solar power in 2014 and pasture-raising chickens in 2015,  was one of the earlier solar sharing farms. The situation surrounding solar sharing have changed a lot since then. Now, in 2020, things couldn't be more different. The many developments in Japan and around the world in the past 6 years are quite exciting.

I summed up the major changes below. They are presented as a comparison between then (2014) and now (2020) .

Five major changes:

1. Solar sharing is finally in the global spotlight.

2. Number of solar sharing farms in Japan surged.

3. Feed-in-tariff (FIT) plummeted.

4. Many new rules and restrictions were added to the FIT system. 

5. Solar sharing is now part of Japan's official policy.

Below is each point in more detail.

Happy Birthday Dear Chickens!

Our chickens celebrated their 5th birthday last week!

Justin the Rooster turned five.

The most amazing toilet paper in Japan

Where to buy your toilet paper when supermarket is empty. 

日本語

I have always wanted to talk about our toilet paper because it's fabulous, but goats and chickens don't wipe their bottoms so the topic never seemed relevant enough for this blog. (Nobuo and I use this toilet paper at home.) But now with the coronavirus panic, it seems toilet paper can save lives. Or bottoms. So I decided to share my extensive know-how here.

We haven't bought a single roll of toilet paper in the past few months, but the shelf in our bathroom still looks like this (picture taken today) :

Where does it come from?

Interview for Thai TV

日本語

"What have you gained from this project in the 5 years since you started it?"

The director asked Nobuo and me through interpreter. 

The interview

The original question was in Thai, translated via interpreter to Japanese, and here I'm trying to articulate the memory of it in intelligible English. It was the kind of question that makes one pause and think. It was a good question. 

May there be many mice in your straw in 2020!

Happy Belated New Year from Chickens and Goats!

Mabuko, representing all Chickens

Tobi-chan, representing all Goats

However, if chickens and goats knew that 2020 is the Year of Rat in Chinese Zodiac, I'm pretty sure their wish would be much more specific, something like:

May there be more mice in your straw bags this year!