Japan Wind Power Association Form New Task Force for Offshore Wind

Japan Wind Power Association Form New Task Force for Offshore Wind

The Japan Wind Power Association (JWPA) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) recently announced the formation of a joint Japan Offshore Wind Task Force to increase the growth of the sector in Japan.

Japans current offshore wind capacity is 65.6MW; this includes 19MW from five floating turbines. There is enormous potential for Japan; however, due to regulatory and industrial restrictions, the growth has been stunted, the new Task Force will aim to address these issues.

The Task Force has brought together some of the major players in the wind turbine industry who will hold regular meetings with the following government departments to conduct studies and share best practices to create a robust offshore wind market in Japan:

  • Ministry of Economy
  • Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land
  • Infrastructure
  • Transport and Tourism (MLIT)

President of JWPA, Jin Kato will chair the task force along with GWEC’s Alastair Dutton.

JWPA President, Jin Kato said, “2020 will be a turning point for offshore wind in Japan as new regulations come into place that will open new doors for this nascent market. Considering the high population density and limited land availability of the country, it simply makes sense to take advantage of the power potential of offshore wind on Japan’s 29,751 km coastline to drive the country’s energy transition.

“Developing this industry will be an important boost to Japan’s economy, it is estimated that by 2030 offshore wind could create direct investments of ¥5-6 trillion, generate 80,000-90,000 new jobs and reduce Japan’s carbon emissions by 71 million tons. It is, therefore, the ideal moment to form the Japan Offshore Wind Task Force and accelerate the momentum that has been developing for the industry over the past few years.”

GWEC CEO, Ben Backwell said, “We are confident that Japan will be one of the next big markets for offshore wind, with our forecasts seeing 10 GW installed by 2030. However, a lot of work still needs to be done to create the right policy framework and enabling environment for a rapid build-out of offshore wind. By working with government and other key stakeholders, the industry can pave the way for future developments such as industrial-scale floating wind, which could open-up limitless power generation opportunities for Japan. Through the local experience of JWPA and its members coupled with GWEC’s global expertise and network, we look forward to ensuring Japan’s offshore wind potential becomes a reality through the work of this Task Force.”

A cost reduction study to ascertain the long-term cost reduction potential in the sector will be the first deliverable for the newly formed Task Force. The study is due for completion in October 2020 and will be released at the Global Offshore Wind Summit.