Japan Hopes ‘Forward’ Project Will Commercialise Floating Wind Technology

The Government of Japan hopes that the Forward project’s outcome will be commercialising one or more offshore wind floating platforms’ designs, writes the Windpower Monthly.

Namely, four offshore wind floating platforms will be installed off the Fukushima’s coast in 2013 and 2014. The first stage, which involves installation of a floating substation and a 2MW downwind floating turbine carried by a compact semi-sub, is scheduled to be completed by August 2013. Two 7MW turbines are due to be installed by the same time in the following year. One of the turbines will be carried by a v-shape semi-sub and the other by an advanced spur.

Furthermore, a small 110kW turbine was installed this month at the Goto islands within the project framework that involves a floating platform carrying both a substation and a turbine. The turbine is planned to be replaced next year with a 2MW one.

The demonstration project worth USD 300 million,funded entirely by the Japanese government, will be developed by an eleven companies’ consortium led by Japanese Marubeni. IHI Marine United, Mitsubishi and Mitsui are the companies responsible for innovative platform designs.

[mappress]

Offshore WIND staff, June 21, 2012; Image: Marubeni