Danish engineering company Ramboll has signed a contract with Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation for the design of offshore wind farm foundations.
“There is a giant potential for Ramboll in Japan. At the same time, however, the geographic location is very challenging for offshore wind turbines. The area has a reputation for both earthquakes and typhoons, which require certain foundation design standards to withstand the giant forces of nature”, says Søren Juel Petersen, Global Market Director for Offshore Wind in Ramboll.
According to Ramboll, Japan has offshore wind turbines with an output of 65 MW installed. For comparison, Denmark has installed offshore wind farms with an output of 1736 MW.
However, Ramboll said, Japan is planning major expansions in the years to come, and the brand-new order for Ramboll underlines that the Asian country is on its way to succeed with its ambition to install wind farms with an output of 4,000 MW by 2040.
During the last six years, the offshore wind business in Ramboll has grown by several hundred percents on the Asian market, and Ramboll expects to have a similar growth rate on the market in the future, the company added.
Ramboll will perform the detailed foundation design for the entire offshore wind farm, which, it says, will be one of the largest in Japan.
"Ramboll has designed foundations for over half of all offshore wind farms worldwide, so with their experience and expertise we feel completely confident with the long-service life of the offshore wind farm, even if the conditions are challenging in Japan”, says Taku Kurimoto, General Manager, Obayashi Corporation.