The post-Fukushima shutdown of Japan’s nuclear reactors and subsequent demand for energy self-sufficiency due to costly fuel imports, coupled with the Japanese government’s ambitious emissions reduction targets for 2020, have stimulated growth in new renewable energy sources in the country. Currently, renewable power accounts for approximately 15% of total electricity generation in Japan, while hydro and solar power occupy a combined 12% share, aided by attractive government subsidies for these technologies. Although the government has been proactive in recent initiatives to identify and promote potential areas for exploration and development of geothermal power, there has not been any significant development …