OMNI Features｜Japan's NEDO Announces Floating Wind Power Demonstration Projects in Aichi and Akita Waters．Daewoo and MBW Jointly Developed 15 MW Floating Offshore Wind Power Model Receives Basic Approval of Concept Design from DNV

｜Japan's NEDO Announces Floating Wind Power Demonstration Projects in Aichi and Akita Waters
The Japanese government recently announced the commencement of a floating wind farm commercialization demonstration project in the waters off Aichi Prefecture and Akita Prefecture starting from this fiscal year, aiming to expand the development of domestic renewable energy.

This floating commercialization demonstration project is part of the "Green Innovation Fund Project/Offshore Wind Power Cost Reduction Project" conducted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) through a public tender. NEDO's "Offshore Wind Power Cost Reduction" project aims to establish technology that will make Japan internationally competitive in floating offshore wind power generation under specific conditions by the fiscal year 2030.

Surrounded by the sea, Japan has high hopes for the expansion of offshore wind power development. However, there are few shallow sea areas suitable for the development of fixed wind farms, thus increasing the expectations for floating technology.

The Japanese government has decided to start demonstration projects in two waters: off the coast of Tahara City and Toyohashi City in Aichi Prefecture, and the southern coast of Akita Prefecture, from this fiscal year.

The demonstration project in the waters off the coast of Tahara City and Toyohashi City in Aichi Prefecture was awarded to a consortium of five companies, including Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and C-Tech Corporation (Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., MOL; C-Tech Corporation, Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kajima Corporation, Hokutaku Co., Ltd.). The southern coast of Akita Prefecture's demonstration project was awarded to a consortium led by Marubeni Offshore Wind Development Corporation and including eight other companies (Marubeni Offshore Wind Development Corporation; Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc.; Akita Floating Offshore Wind Corporation; Japan Marine United Corporation; TOA CORPORATION; TOKYO SEIKO ROPE MFG. CO., LTD.; Kanden Plant Corporation; JFE Engineering Corporation; and NAKANIHON AIR Co., Ltd.).

The floating offshore wind power demonstration project site off the coast of Yurihonjo City and Nikaho City in Akita Prefecture is led by Marubeni Corporation and its subsidiary Marubeni Offshore Wind Development Corporation (MOWD), which secured funding from NEDO (Phase 2).

Source: Marubeni

The project will deploy two wind turbines exceeding 15MW each in waters approximately 400 meters off the southern coast of Akita Prefecture. The project duration is from July 2024 to March 2031, with commercial operations planned to start in the fall of 2029.

On June 11, the "Aichi Prefecture Floating Offshore Wind Power Demonstration Project" proposed by MOL, C-Tech, Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kajima Corporation, and Hokutaku Co., Ltd. secured funding approval from NEDO for development. The platform will adopt a semi-submersible design, aiming to establish technology and significantly reduce costs by 2030, thereby expanding the adoption of floating offshore wind power to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Source: MOL

These two demonstration projects will run until the fiscal year 2030, with the Japanese government accelerating efforts to establish large-scale, low-cost power generation technology for commercial application through these demonstration trials.

｜Daewoo and MBW Jointly Developed 15 MW Floating Offshore Wind Power Model Receives Basic Approval of Concept Design from DNV
Daewoo Engineering & Construction announced on the 14th that the 15 MW floating offshore wind model, jointly developed with the Dutch offshore wind company Monobase Wind (MBW), has received Approval in Principle (AiP) for its conceptual design from the international certification body DNV (Det Norske Veritas).

In November 2021, Daewoo Engineering & Construction signed a memorandum of understanding with MBW to jointly develop the floating offshore wind model. A mathematical model experiment was completed in March 2022, and an international patent was obtained in September 2023.

The developed MSPAR floating foundation aims to ensure stability under extreme environmental conditions such as typhoons, with maximum wind speeds of 61 meters per second and maximum wave heights of 11.5 meters. Notably, MSPAR utilizes a composite material of concrete and steel to enhance economic efficiency and effectiveness.

Reference:Marubeni｜MOL｜Seoulfn