Japan’s first commercial floating offshore wind farm, rated at 16.8 MW, has started operations offshore Nagasaki Prefecture.
The Goto offshore wind farm, located off Goto City, is operated by Goto Floating Wind Farm consortium. The project is the first floating wind facility in Japan to be certified by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism under the country’s Marine Renewable Energy Sea-Area Utilization Act.
The wind consists of eight 2.1 MW floating wind turbines, with a total capacity of 16.8 MW. It uses a hybrid spar-type floater with a steel upper section and concrete lower section, designed and built by Toda Corporation, the project’s lead company.
Aside from Toda Corporation, other members of consortium include ENEOS Renewable Energy Corporation, Osaka Gas, Inpex Corporation, Kansai Electric Power, and Chubu Electric Power.
This is the first time the hybrid spar-type floater has been commercially applied worldwide, according to developers.
Construction involved participation from local companies, who are also expected to contribute to operations and maintenance. In line with the principle of local energy production for local consumption, electricity from the wind farm will be supplied preferentially to regional electricity providers.