Japan plans 45 GW offshore wind by 2040

• 3 years ago (2020-12-23)
• David Flin

Asia 848 Offshore wind 119

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Japan plans to install 30-45 GW of offshore wind power by 2040 as part of plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Japan’s Offshore Wind Industry Vision was approved at a meeting held between the Japanese government and the offshore wind industry. The meeting was held with attendance by officials from the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management (MLIT) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

In this document, the Japanese Government has set a target of installing 10 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, and 30-45 GW by 2040. It will lower the cost of power generation using wind power units fixed to the seabed to 8-9 yen per kWh by 2035. The government will require 60 per cent of equipment used to come from domestic suppliers.

The government intends that a demonstration project will start next year.

I-Ching Tseng, Infrastructure Expert with Pinsent Masons, said: “It is likely that Japan will need floating platforms for a majority of offshore sites because of its deep coastal waters. It will need turbines that can withstand earthquakes and typhoons. It will also need to forge a model towards cost competitiveness; reduce its high feed-in-tariffs while simultaneously maintaining the interests of developers; create the right infrastructure policies and ensure that the transmission grid can cope with the substantial growth in wind power.”