Search

Energy justice is a topic that is currently being explored by energy law experts around the world and used across several academic fields in energy research. However, we note that this concept is quite novel in Japan (there have been no substantial publications published in either English or Japanese) and could be expanded. This is especially important in light of Japan’s aspirations to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and implement a just energy transition. In this context, the article’s goal is to present the energy justice theory in a legal (energy law) and policy (climate-energy policy) framework in Japan. The article discusses the five basic types of justice, referring to Japanese energy legislation and climate-energy policy as examples. The analysis includes an assessment of the carbon neutrality pillars (seen through the prism of energy justice theory), aimed at supporting Japan in meeting its climate targets, and directions related to the use of renewable, conventional and nuclear energy sources requiring examination in terms of energy justice (due to failures of energy policy, such as lack of stakeholder recognition, local conflicts, NIMBY, etc.). Furthermore, the article demonstrates the improvements required in the legal and policy frameworks in Japan to make the application of human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals across the energy life-cycle effective. This will also include an examination of potential legal and organisational changes, and new structures and appointments in the Japanese administration.

The paper covers regulating renewable energy communities (RECs) and citizen energy communities (CECs) within the European Union. It offers ideas regarding RECs: establish a register to tackle regul...

Optically induced allotropic phase transformations of carbon were studied. Under irradiation with a laser beam of 337.1 nm wavelength, at an energy density of 1.9 mJ per 0.1 mm2, graphite transformed into α-carbin, and amorphous carbon-film transformed into rhombohedral graphite with no evidence of high-temperature effects. The transformations differ from the changes occurring due to heating alone. We suggest that the results could be explained by the one-photon excitation and recombination of electrons.

The optically induced allotropic phase transformations of boron nitride were studied. Under irradiation with laser beam of 337.1 nm wavelength, at energy density of 1.9mJ per 0.1 mm2 a hexagonal boron nitride transformed into the cubic form. The suggestion is made that the results obtained could be explained by the multiphoton excitation and recombination of electrons.

Thin layers of tetrahedral carbon phases (diamond, lonsdaleite etc.) were crystallized under reduced pressure (10 -3 / Pa) using a coaxial plasma generator. On the basis of comparison of known diamond crystallization processes under reduced pressure it was assumed that the electric charge plays an important part in the nucleation process.

The Al2O3 unstable γ phase and A1N stable phase were crystallized from LTE pluse plasma. It was explained as the result of shifting the equilibrium of configurations s2p6 ⇌ sp3 into the sp3 direction under influence of plasma.

Investigations on the emission and absorption of the C pulse plasma are correlated with the phase content of the layers deposited from it. It is concluded that the C=C molecules are advantageous for graphite and C - ions for diamond crystallization.

On the basis of existing crystallization theories, diamond should not be formed under conditions of its thermodynamic instability. The growth of this material at reduced pressure and low temperature can be explained by the influence of electric energy on the nucleation process which, according to A.J. Rusanov, makes the formation of extremely small, stable crystals possible. The pressure caused by the surface tension will then be so great that the diamond is thermodynamically stable.

In this paper a study was made of the conditions of formation and properties of Al2O3 aerosol obtained by oxidation of aluminium acetylacetonate ultrasonically sprayed into a hydrocarbon-oxygen flame. Spherical particles with diameters as small as 30 A were obtained at sprayer frequency ν = 1 MHz as a result of rapid combustion. Temperature measurements and investigation of the flame emission spectrum as well as of the shape and size of particles suggest that liquid Al2O3 droplets are formed from the gaseous phase next to be crystallized from the liquid phase. Comparison of the results concerning Al2O3 formation in H2 + O2 flame and in the hydrocarbon-oxygen flame leads to the suggestion that the γ-Al2O3 phase is formed if synthesis and crystallization occurs in the presence of the H2O and/or OH and the liquid particles are rapidly cooled. The following scheme of the aerosol formation mechanism is proposed: [Al2O3]L. OHads denotes Al2O3 particle with chemisorbed OH.

Thin layers of boron nitride BN, in the wurtzite form and in the “shock wave compressed” form were crystallized using a coaxial plasma generator under conditions under which graphite-like BN should have been obtained. It is assumed that in a plasma, the formation of particles takes place at higher energy levels allowing the preparation of metastable phases.