Law Concerning Special Measures for Promotion of New Energy Use (Special Measures Law for Promoting the Use of New Energy) (Law No.37 of 1997)

The Law aims to accelerate the advancement of the introduction of New Energy. This Law, while clarifying the role of each area for the overall advancement of new energy usage, provided financial support measures for utilities that use new energy. New energy is non-fossil energy, as defined in the Law Concerning the Promotion of Development and Introduction of Oil Alternative Energy (1980, see below).

Based on this Law, a fundament policy to provide for basic matters concerning measures for each area that the public, utilities and governments should consider was determined in September 1997. The amendment added 'New Energy use, etc.' to Article 1 of the Act. Then, Biomass Energy and Cool Energy could be added. In April 2008, the definition of 'New Energy' was changed and became almost equivalent to renewable energy, but large-size hydropower generation and geothermal power are excluded.