Skip to main content

Japan’s first large-scale offshore wind farm just came online

Japan’s first large-scale offshore wind farm started operation on December 22 – a major milestone in the country’s transition to renewables.

Japan already operates several demonstration offshore wind turbines, but this is its first commercial offshore wind farm.

The 140 megawatt (MW) project consists of two offshore wind farms – Noshiro and Akita. Noshiro Port offshore wind farm is around 300 miles northwest of Tokyo in the Sea of Japan, in Akita Prefecture. It’s the Noshiro Port part of the project that just came online. The Akita Port offshore wind farm’s “commercial operation based on FIT is expected in due course.”

Noshiro and Akita together have 33 fixed-bottom Vestas wind turbines that were installed by UK offshore installation firm Seajacks International.

Noshiro features 20 4.2 MW wind turbines, and Akita has 13 4.2 MW wind turbines. 

The offshore wind project will provide electricity to Tohoku Electric Power, which has a 20-year power purchase agreement for the wind farm’s entire output. It will power around 150,000 households.

Tohoku Electric Power services 7.6 million individual and corporate customers in six prefectures in Tohoku region, plus the Niigata Prefecture, in Honshu.

The Akita Offshore Wind Corporation owns the project. Tokyo-based investment firm Marubeni is the largest investor in Noshiro and Akita, and many other Japanese companies are invested, including utilities and banks.

Japan aims to install up to 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, and up to 45 GW by 2040.

Currently, 25% of Japan’s electricity comes from renewables. It has a plan to bump that percentage up to 38% by 2030.

At the end of May, for the first time and joining the other six member states of G7, Japan pledged to end public financing for fossil fuel projects abroad by the end of 2022.

Read more: Japan’s government wants to remotely control private ACs to avoid power outages

Photo: Akita Offshore Wind Corporation


UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.

Comments

Author

Avatar for Michelle Lewis Michelle Lewis

Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at michelle@9to5mac.com. Check out her personal blog.


Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications