The project will be carried out by a consortium made up of Marubeni as project integrator, the University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI Marine United, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Nippon Steel, Hitachi, Furukawa Electric, Shimizu and Mizuho Information & Research.
This experimental project consists of three floating wind turbines and one floating power sub-station off the coast of Fukushima. The first stage of this experimental project will begin this year and consists of one 2MW floating wind turbine, the world’s first 66kV floating power sub-station and undersea cable. In the second stage of the project, two 7MW wind turbines will be added between 2013 and 2015.
Fukushima Prefecture expects the experimental project to spawn a new industry in renewable energy and create employment as part of recovery efforts in the wake of last year’s earthquake. Through the project, Fukushima hopes to develop a large wind farm industry.
One of the most important themes of the experimental project is the coexistence of fishing with the offshore wind farm industry. The consortium will work to maintain good relations with the local fishery industry while pursuing commercialisation of this offshore wind farm project.
The aim is to crearte a practical wind farm business scheme that could lead to the deployment of large-scale floating wind farms in the future. The hope is also to build on the experience and knowledge to develop a new Japanese export industry.
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