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Japan Looks To Distributed Control Theory To Manage Energy Market Deregulation

Hallie Siegel writes: Japan's power industry is currently centralized, but it aims to deregulate by around 2020. Coupled with this major structural market change, the expansion of thermal, nuclear and renewable power generation will place additional demands on the management of the country's energy market. Researchers from the Namerikawa lab at Keio University are working with control engineers, power engineers and economists to designing mechanical and control algorithms that can manage this large-scale problem.

11 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This is how you deregulate by cheesybagel · · Score: 2

    This is how you deregulate the energy market: you don't. It always turns into a cartel anyway.

  2. Re:Regulation is the enemy of free markets. by QuantumReality · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You don't see the bigger picture here. There are certain segments of market that NEED to be regulated. 2008 finance crisis was because of deregulation's in finance market. 90% of products do not need to be regulated, but energy,finance etc. are not one of them.

  3. Japanese Reagan strikes again by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

    What a brilliant idea, especially in the wake of a nuclear power accident!

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  4. Re:This is how you deregulate by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 2

    It is very hard to deregulate electrical because it has an instantaneous supply/demand response, hence the consideration of unique methods. Also, a short sighted market may not be best for long term planning needs that require large investment with very long term ROI. Its not like the deregulation of the phone companies, which although it was messy, worked out for the better.

  5. Re:Glad they're trusting in the free market by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 2

    And it worked fairly well for their railway system. It's not completely without flaws, or without regulations and subsidies, but private companies have demonstrated an ability to create both effective and profitable transportation systems which government run companies could never manage to do. Deregulation and privatization are not panaceas, but they can and do work well when done smartly. Japan seems to at least have a track record of success in this area.

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  6. 50 Hz vs 60 Hz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'd be impressed if they can figure out how to link the east side of the country (50 Hz) with the west (wired later at 60 Hz).

  7. Re:Regulation is the enemy of free markets. by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Since unregulated derivatives markets were to blame for the collapse, no it's not sad. What is sad is ass-holes like you who don't understand that unregulated markets do not operate in their own best interests.

  8. Re:This is how you deregulate by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 2

    Tell California how well deregulating the energy markets worked for them. In a word: Enron.

  9. Re:Regulation is the enemy of free markets. by gtall · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Regulation is required for free markets. And example of a free market gone haywire due to lax or no regulation was the housing market. And without the FDA, you'd feel perfectly safe getting your prescriptions from Joe's Medical Stuff and Bait Store, right? Or maybe you wish to turn safety entirely over to the airlines so that an acceptable level of crashes that can be insured against would work for you. Your car company would never think to cut corners and get you killed dead because they could save on not installing proper safety equipment in their vehicles. Your bank account need not be insured by the FDIC because you mistakenly stuck your money in a bank whose owners absconded with your loot. The food you eat need not be inspected regularly to keep your death from being the result of bad processing. The guard rails on your way to work don't need any standard over keeping you from your freedom to plow straight down a ravine into that swiftly flowing river. The next hurricane won't bother you because you'll be safe in your house which didn't need to conform to hurricane building standards, also see earthquakes.

    Your grandmother can come and live with you because of the nursing home fire which was caused because the owners didn't need to conform to fire protection standards. And, by the way, it wiped out the money she kept in her room which was destined for you in her will but which she didn't trust a bank to keep and hence kept it in large denomination bills which, tragically, met their end in the fire.

    Need I continue?

  10. Regulation PRESERVES free markets by jsepeta · · Score: 2

    Regulation helps to keep markets free and open by preventing abuse of the system. Your libertarian lies are worthless here.

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  11. Re:Regulation is the enemy of free markets. by jbmartin6 · · Score: 2

    And example of a free market gone haywire due to lax or no regulation was the housing market.

    Which regulations were lax or missing? From what I saw it was a pretty heavily regulated market even on the banking side.

    And without the FDA, you'd feel perfectly safe getting your prescriptions from Joe's Medical Stuff and Bait Store, right?

    No I wouldn't. Who said they would be? This is a straw man argument. And possibly a false dichotomy.

    Or maybe you wish to turn safety entirely over to the airlines so that an acceptable level of crashes that can be insured against would work for you. Your car company would never think to cut corners and get you killed dead because they could save on not installing proper safety equipment in their vehicles.

    I don't think the parent suggested that torts and other forms of liability should be abolished.

    And so on. There are multiple ways that problems like these can and have been resolved, and centralized federal regulation isn't the only choice.

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