The Renewable Energy Institute is a non-pro­fit organization, which aims to build a sustainable rich society based on renewable energy. It was established in August 2011, in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, by its founder Mr. Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Corp., with his own private resources foundation is engaged in activities such as research-based analyses on renewable energy, policy recommendations, building a platform for discussions among stakeholders, and facilitating knowledge exchange and joint action with international and domestic partners.

Policy Research

• to conduct research and support the development of renewable energy in Asia, including the promotion of the “Asia Super Grid (ASG),” which aims to realize a wide-area electricity network in Asia
• Aiming at reducing Japan’s contribution to climate change and radioactive pollution, they develop energy policies to open the electricity market for renewables, distributed energy, and energy efficiency.
• to research opportunities to make electricity supply resources efficient, with a competitive electricity market on a grid controlled by a transmission system operator, independent of any production interests.
• In order to realize a non-carbon economy, they provide research that highlights the business risks of investments in coal mining and coal-fired power plants.

Advocacy

• to discuss energy policies/systems with experts, policymakers, and media representatives to develop the policy research and recommendations.
• to work to jointly make changes from different standpoints through information/opinion exchange with local governments, domestic and overseas energy companies, and a broad range of business operators—including power producers and suppliers.
• to work with organizations with a total of over 27 million members—including networks of co-ops, consumer groups, community power groups, and municipalities and associations of energy-related companies—in order to promote the transition to the Renewable Energy Action Campaign’s sustainable energy policies/systems. The campaign appeals to public opinion by mobilizing a wide spectrum of organizations seeking to expand the use of renewable energy.