ORIX Scanning Japanese Seabed

The Japanese ORIX Corporation has commenced a seabed geological survey off the coast of the Chiba Prefecture to investigate the feasibility of offshore wind power.

ORIX is carrying out an acoustic seabed survey in the waters offshore Choshi to study the conditions, ground structure and the topography of the seabed.

The company said it is using an acoustic bottom profiler to identify the geological structure of the seabed, as well as an echo sounder to confirm the topography.

In addition, the Japan-based business is deploying a side-scan sonar to determine man-made structures such as artificial reefs and submarine cables, the state of marine waste and shipwrecks that have been deposited, the state of sand waves, and the makeup and distribution of soil.

The works, which began at the end of January, are scheduled to be completed by 15 March.

Japan’s offshore wind market is gaining momentum following the government’s commitment to increase the deployment of renewables and the passing of the legislative foundation for designation of large-scale offshore wind development areas.

In its Fifth Basic Energy Supply Plan from July 2018, the government targets 10GW of offshore and onshore wind capacity by 2030 as part of its ambition to reach a 22-24% renewable share of electricity generation by 2030.