The geography of energy transitions: A network approach for post-Fukushima Japan

Using a novel panel of 1,742 Japanese municipalities (2001-2020), this paper studies how the 2011 Fukushima incident triggered the spatial spread of energy transitions from nuclear to wind power, combining difference-in-differences panel econometrics with a network-diffusion model. Proximity to closed nuclear plants drives wind-energy adoption, and the network model identifies key “spreader” municipalities and yields policy counterfactuals for accelerating adoption.

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