Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-27/japan-has-no-space-for-solar-farms-apart-from-old-golf-courses?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc5MDUzOTY3MSwiZXhwIjoxNzkxMTQ0NDcxLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUTFIySlBUOTZPU0owMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIzRkI0OERFNzA4NEU0OUNGOUFGRTJCMDlEMjk1MEUxNSJ9.Lj3wWFJu5-6IWBTQARWTiImPZKzSfgZ0bm7bBfPhwkY

The result is that a relic of Japan’s economic bubble is playing an unlikely role in the country’s energy transition. For the past decade, defunct golf courses have been vital to solar growth. About 9% of Japan’s utility-scale solar capacity is on former golf courses, according to an analysis of a BloombergNEF data that includes arrays with capacity of 0.9 megawatts or greater.

We need this. Everyone I'm the world needs it... Turn golf into an indoor thing.

What about on the top of buildings? Over parking lots ect? Any time you shade a black top it really helps with heat soak

I think it's an optimistic sign that a solar farm is more economically viable than a golf course (even if it's an old one).

Ngl I do want to see more creative solutions to solar farms that don't involve large arrays

You do have to be careful though, sometimes those tarpaper roofs are trying to keep heat inside the building, or trying to keep lines from freezing in the winter.

That being said, there's plenty of places in Japan where you could throw up a canopy of solar panels tied into the grid.

As well as the dwindling subsidies, mega solar projects have faced increasing opposition from communities concerned about deforestation, landslides and changes to landscapes. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has also been vocal in her opposition to such developments.

...using all the land technically suitable for solar and wind could produce 14 times Japan’s annual electricity generation. The country has the space, but that isn’t translating into actual construction, he said.

Okay, both the headline and the article contents are wrong. There is, in fact, tons of space. The issue is not space, it's cost and permits. "Japan Has No Appetite for Solar Farms Apart from Old Golf Courses" would be more accurate.

That's been true in Japan for a long time, for many things that saw boom-and-bust expansions. Theme parks are a really cool example of this, where Japan built a TON of regional theme parks in the 90s, only for them to become defunct and abandoned as tourist revenue dried up (or failed to materialize in the first place). Difference here is that while a defunct theme park is also less viable than a solar array, a golf course doesn't require significant demo first.

I'd love to see it happen to Mar-a-Lago

The other solution that's been posted a lot is mixed use atrays, have the solar panel provide shade to canals, and agri-land. They help prevent evaporation, allowing both to conserve water and require less in the case of plants.

Im fine with golf courses going away

Railways :-)

There's space. There is tons of agricultural-zoned land (and probably sanrin-zoned (literally montainforest; I don't know what it would be in English... forestry maybe) as well) that is completely neglected. Indeed several farms near me now have solar on some or all. I haven't personally seen any agrivoltaics with vertical panels yet which could be another option. My local has tons of farms for sale/rent that could be used since no one's buying.

Additionally, there are plenty of areas that are monoculture cedar forests planted for lumber. I don't buy "there's no room". I am, of course, glad to get rid of old eyesores and golf courses.

Yes. I'm sure that will be the way they go in the end. But businesses want to do it as cheap as possible. Make a quick buck for the lowest possible costs as usual. On roofs is a little more complex. Legislation is probably needed.

Yeah, I live in Naha and our sidewalks barely have any shade. If they could make arcades with solar panels, it would make it more desirable for locals to walk (we drive way too much).

tokyo has a lot of buildings, put it on top of every building possible.