The Japanese government decided its policy on measures to promote the use of offshore wind power generation, wave activated power generation and other forms of ocean renewable energies. It will set up demonstration fields in Japanese waters to provide companies developing renewable energy technologies with sites for conducting demonstration tests.
The Headquarters for Ocean Policy of the Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda as its director-general, decided on the policy at a meeting held on May 25. Europe already has demonstration fields set up in the ocean, including the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) built in 2003 on the Orkney Islands in the United Kingdom. The Japanese government aims to establish a Japanese equivalent of EMEC.
The government will accept applications this fiscal year from municipalities seeking to host demonstration fields, and select the first site early next fiscal year. In setting up demonstration fields, the national government will lead negotiations with local fishery and marine transportation operators.
Yoshikiyo Ono, secretary-general of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy, expressed his hope by saying, “[Ocean renewable energy] is believed to involve a broad base of supporting industries comparable to the automobile industry, and requires a large number of parts for equipment. If we succeed in fostering companies that can compete in the global market, it will have a significant effect on industries and employment in Japan.”
