The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan last March fundamentally altered the energy consumption concepts of most Japanese people and had a profound impact on home energy services across the country. Consumers have been installing energy-efficient devices in their homes, such as solar generators, fully electrified home systems, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Japan's home electricity supply is provided by power companies or by in-home power generation devices, such as fuel cells that generate electricity from gas or organic fuels. Power companies frequently promote the concept of full electrification, where the entire home uses electricity as its energy source, including for lighting, cooking, and bathing. Gas energy companies offer alternatives, encouraging consumers to install self-generating devices in their homes, such as gas-powered indoor generators like Ene-Farm. Before the earthquake, over 550,000 Japanese households had installed fully electrified home systems by 2010, with only 7,400 households using Ene-Farm systems. Currently, with energy shortages in Japan, consumers are realizing the risks of relying on power companies for electricity. Therefore, other energy supply options such as home solar generators, Ene-Farm, and home energy storage systems are highly favored by consumers. In 2010, 7,400 Japanese households installed Ene-Farm systems. By the end of this year, the number of households with this system installed has doubled, and it is projected to reach 600,000 households by 2020. The Japanese government is strongly promoting consumer safety.
