Clean electricity scheme to expand

The government launched a working group Friday to study the expansion of its program for utilities to purchase electricity produced using clean and renewable sources of energy.

The program, which started Nov. 1, enables power companies to buy electricity produced at such places as homes, schools and hospitals at higher rates than before.

The purchase scheme at present applies only to surplus electricity generated using solar-power systems.

Under the program, electric power firms are collecting surcharges from all households and organizations to finance their purchases of surplus electricity from solar-power users. Critics say the increased burden will only weaken already poor consumer sentiment.

To make natural energy sources more popular, the working group, set up by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, is considering broadening the program's scope.

The most likely option is to allow utilities to buy all the electricity produced at those locations using not only sunlight but other natural sources, including wind and geothermal heat.