Wind power in Japan

In Japan's electricity sector, wind power generates a small proportion of the country's electricity. It has been estimated that Japan has the potential for 144 gigawatts (GW) for onshore wind and 608 GW of offshore wind capacity.[1] As of 2020, the country had a total installed capacity of 4.2 GW.

Turbines at the Nunobiki Plateau Wind Farm, one of the largest wind farms in Japan with 33 turbines

As of 2018, government targets for wind power deployment were relatively low when compared to other countries, at 1.7% of electricity production by 2030.[2]

In December 2020, the Japanese government announced plans to install up to 45 GW of offshore wind power by 2040.[3]

Statistics
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Total Capacity – Cumulative installed wind power capacity in megawatts since 2000
Year Capacity[4] Change  % Change
2000 136
2001 302 166 122.06%
2002 338 36 11.92%
2003 580 242 71.60%
2004 809 229 39.48%
2005 1,049 240 29.67%
2006 1,309 260 24.79%
2007 1,538 229 17.49%
2008 1,882 344 22.37%
2009 2,186 304 16.15%
2010 2,475 289 13.22%
2011 2,556 81 3.27%
2012 2,562 6 0.23%
2013 2,646 84 3.28%
2014 2,753 107 4.04%
2015 2,808 55 2%
2016[5] 3,247 439 15.63%
2017[5] 3,483 236 7.27%
2018[5] 3,498 15 0.43%
2019[5] 3,954 456 13.04%
2020[6] 4,467 513 13.06%
2021[6] 4,467 0 0%
2022[6] 4,577 110 2.46%

Government regulation and incentives

As of 2017, the feed-in tariff per kWh are 21 yen for onshore and 36 yen for offshore.[7]

In April 2019 the Renewable Sea Area Utilization Law came into force. The Act is expected to promote offshore wind power projects by providing for long-term use of certain sea areas for offshore wind power projects based on a bidding process.[8]

In 2020, a new feed-in premium scheme was passed. It comes into force in April 2022 and provides for premiums to be paid to electricity providers in addition to market prices achieved on the power market.[8]

McKinsey estimates that for every 1 GW of added offshore capacity, Japan saves more than $300 million in fuel imports.[9]

Notable projects
See also: List of power stations in Japan

The Shin Izumo Wind Farm owned by Eurus Energy was the largest wind farm in Japan as of 2011, comprising 26 turbines with a total nameplate capacity of 78 megawatts.[10]

The Shin Aoyama Wind Farm owned by C-tech is currently the largest wind farm in Japan, as of February 2018. It comprises 40 turbines with a total nameplate capacity of 80 megawatts. The amount of electrical power that can be generated is equivalent to the annual consumption of about 44,000 ordinary households.[11]

The Yurihonjo Offshore Wind Farm located in Akita Prefecture is expected to begin construction in 2021. It will comprise 70-90 turbines with a proposed capacity of as much as 1000 megawatts. Upon completion, its capacity is projected to be the largest offshore wind farm in Japan.[12]

In 2011, Japan stated plans to build a pilot floating wind farm, with six 2-megawatt turbines, off the Fukushima coast.[13] After the evaluation phase is complete in 2016, "Japan plans to build as many as 80 floating wind turbines off Fukushima by 2020."[13]

In 2013, a floating offshore wind turbine was tested about 1 km off the coast of the island of Kabajima in Nagasaki Prefecture. It was a part of a Japanese government test project.[14] This was the first of its kind in Japan.

The first full-scale offshore wind farm began operation in December 2022 with 20 turbines producing 140 MW.[15]

In the second half of 2023, commissioning of the 340 MW Dohoku wind farm cluster on the island of Hokkaido using 79 typhoon-proof 4.3 MW onshore turbines is expected.[16]

See also

References
  1. Watanabe, Chisaki (27 February 2014). "GE Says Japan Has More Potential to Harness Wind Power". Bloomberg.
  2. "Japan behind on wind power | The Japan Times". The Japan Times. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  3. "Japan plans to install up to 45 GW of offshore wind power by 2040". Reuters. 15 December 2020.
  4. "Japan". Japan Wind Energy Association. March 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  5. "Installed Capacity by the end of 2019｜Wind Energy International". library.wwindea.org/. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. "RENEWABLE CAPACITY STATISTICS 2023" (PDF). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. "Japan accelerates wind power development as govt support pays off: study". Reuters. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  8. "The Renewable Energy Law Review: Japan". 10 August 2021.
  9. "Japan offshore wind: The ideal moment to build a vibrant industry". 12 August 2022.
  10. "May 21, 2009 – Japan's largest-ever Wind Farm completed". Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation. 21 March 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  11. "Creating new value through collaborative creation: Wind turbines using digital technology". Hitachi. March 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  12. "Wind Power Plant in Akita Might Have Output of 1GW". NikkeiXTech. April 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  13. "Japan Plans Floating Wind Power Plant". Breakbulk. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  14. "Project tests viability of offshore floating wind turbines," Japan Times. 4 April 2013; retrieved 30 April 2013.
  15. "Japan's First Large-Scale Offshore Wind Farm Swings into Service in Akita". nippon.com. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  16. "Siemens Gamesa to supply typhoon-proof turbines to Japan's largest onshore cluster of four wind farms". 16 June 2021.
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