Analysis of a Typical Japanese Offshore Wind Farm Project: Reviewing the Kitakyushu Hibikinada offshore wind farm industrial accumulation project

         
Author Name IWAMOTO Koichi (Senior Fellow, RIETI)
Creation Date/NO. August 2017 17-P-026
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Abstract

This paper analyzes a typical Japanese offshore wind farm and the discussion about the future of the offshore windfarm in Japan, as the selection of the consortium of the Kitakyushu Hibikinada offshore wind farm ended and the discussion with the project come to be possible.

The Kitakyushu Hibikinada offshore wind farm has several features. The first feature is that it is the first commercial offshore wind farm in Japan and is operated completely by private companies which have among the world's largest power capability. The second feature is that the project not only aims for the construction and operation of a wind farm but also the formation of industrial accumulation of wind farm companies.

Many Japanese people have never seen a large scale offshore wind farm. If they see one with its enormous white beautiful wings rotating with the wind at the Kitakyushu Hibikinada offshore wind farm, they will eventually be able to recognize wind farms readily.

This project will be sure to lead to numerous future offshore wind farm projects that are planned for every district in Japan. That is, this project can be looked at as a "leading project" in Japan, further emphasizing the importance of this project.