TEPCO joins Japanese floating wind research project

Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has selected Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) to join a floating wind technology project.

As part of the project titled Research and Development on Technologies to Lower the Cost of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines, TEPCO will examine the basic design and construction methods for floating spar foundations that can accommodate 10 MW turbines.

TEPCO has also identified technologies that are expected to greatly reduce the costs associated with this type of wind power production, the company said.

Over the next two years until March 2022, TEPCO will work in cooperation with Penta-Ocean Construction and The University of Tokyo to examine and assess the feasibility of the identified technologies and the cost reductions they will enable.

The research project is expected to identify floating wind technology which is suited for Japan’s harsh weather and ocean conditions.

The reduction in the cost of the floating wind projects is expected to come from ”the development of technologies that focus on establishing highly reliable and low-cost methods for constructing floating columns and offshore wind turbines in order to take full advantage of this renewable energy,” TEPCO said.