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Tag: Japan

  • Top 12 Manufacturing Countries in 2007

    The updated data from the United Nations on manufacturing output by country clearly shows the USA remains by far the largest manufacturer in the world. UN Data, in billions of current US dollars:

    Country 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007
    USA 1,041 1,289 1,543 1,663 1,700 1,831
    China 143 299 484 734 891 1,106
    Japan 804 1,209 1.034 954 934 926
    Germany 438 517 392 566 595 670
    Russian Federation 211 104 73 222 281 362
    Italy 240 226 206 289 299 345
    United Kingdom 207 219 228 269 303 342
    France 224 259 190 249 248 296
    Korea 65 129 134 200 220 241
    Canada 92 100 129 177 195 218
    Spain 101 103 98 164 176 208
    Brazil 120 125 96 137 170 206
    Additional countries of interest – not the next largest
    India 50 59 67 118 135 167
    Mexico 50 55 107 122 136 144
    Indonesia 29 60 46 80 102 121
    Turkey 33 38 38 75 85 101

    The USA’s share of the manufacturing output of the countries that manufactured over $200 billion in 2007 (the 12 countries on the top of the chart above) in 1990 was 28%, 1995 28%, 2000 33%, 2005 30%, 2006 28%, 2007 27%. China’s share has grown from 4% in 1990, 1995 7%, 2000 11%, 2005 13%, 2006 15%, 2007 16%.

    Total manufacturing output in the USA was up 76% in 2007 from the 1990 level. Japan, the second largest manufacturer in 1990, and third today, has increased output 15% (the lowest of the top 12, France is next lowest at 32%) while China is up an amazing 673% (Korea is next at an increase of 271%).
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  • Japan to Add Personal Solar Subsidies

    Japan to Cut the Cost of Solar 50% Creating Greater Self-sufficiency (site broke the link so I removed it, sigh, sites can’t even manage to avoid breaking 10 year old web usability guidelines, when will they learn?)

    The country however is the 2nd largest global market for solar energy, and is home to some of the largest solar component manufacturers, including Sanyo, Kyocera, and Sharp. The Japanese government will introduce tax credits and subsidies to encourage household use of solar energy starting next year.
    …
    The incentive will decrease the cost of a solar photovoltaic system by an estimated 50% within 3 to 5 years. This initiative will make solar energy especially appealing because the cost of electricity in Japan is already over $.20 a kWh. This is roughly double the rate of electricity found in many areas of the US.

    Germany is the largest solar market (due to government policy encouraging solar development).

    Related: Large-Scale, Cheap Solar Electricity – Solar Energy: Economics, Government and Technology – Wind Power Potential to Produce 20% of Electricity Supply by 2030 – solar energy posts on the Curious Cat Science and Engineering blog