Japanese firms join forces to promote floating offshore wind power development

Cosmo Energy Holdings Co

15/03/2024 10:41

TOKYO, March 15 (Reuters) - A group of Japanese energy
firms including Mitsubishi's wind power unit  8058.T , JERA and
Tokyo Gas  9531.T , have set up an association to boost the
development of floating offshore wind farms and jointly create
technology, they said on Friday.
    Japan aims to become a major offshore wind power producer,
with the government targeting 10 gigawatt (GW) projects by 2030
and up to 45 GW by 2040 as part of its decarbonisation push, for
which floating offshore wind is essential.
    The group of 14 companies said they have set up the Floating
Offshore Wind Technology Research Association to realise
commercialisation of large-scale floating offshore wind farms in
a wide area by jointly developing technology and creating
international standards with overseas organisations.
    Floating offshore wind power is seen as a way to ensure
Japan has a stable and sustainable energy supply and its
development will also stimulate the local economy and promote
Japanese industries, the group said in a statement.
    Other members include Nippon Telegraph and Telephone's
energy unit  9432.T , Tohoku Electric Power  9506.T , Kansai
Electric Power  9503.T  and Marubeni Corp's wind power unit
 8002.T .
    The move, first reported by a local media, comes as the
Japanese government this week approved a draft amendment to
existing legislation to allow for the installation of offshore
wind power in exclusive economic zones (EEZ), a milestone
towards the country's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
    The new legislation would allow wind farms to be installed
further out to sea from current territorial and internal waters
as EEZs are non-territorial waters where maritime nations claim
mineral exploration and fishing rights.

 (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Susan Fenton)
 ((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com; +813-4520-1265;))