An offshore floating wind power generation facility that interconnects with a utility grid has recently been built for the first time in Japan, and its opening ceremony was held on August 29. The facility has been installed off the coast of Kabashima island, Nagasaki Prefecture. It has a capacity of 100 kW, and transmits electricity via a submarine cable to a substation located on an island about 2 km away. It will be connected to the power system of Kyushu Electric Power by early September to start selling electricity.
The wind turbine has a rotor diameter of 22 m and total length of about 70 m. Its height from the sea surface is as high as 34 m. The facility is a pilot unit installed by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), and will be operated until March next year to study the effects of turbulence caused by wind and waves on its electricity output as well as its impact on marine organisms and other factors. The result of the study will be incorporated into a 2-MW demonstration unit to be installed in May next year. The demonstration unit is expected to have a rotor diameter of 80 m, total length of 170 m and height of 94 m above sea level.
Director-general Masaki Suzuki of MOE’s Global Environment Bureau attended the opening ceremony and said, “Offshore wind power has the greatest potential among all renewable energies. In particular, the practical application of floating wind farms will be the key to expanding the use of wind power. I hope that this project will prove to be a significant impetus to that end.”
