Japanese Ministries Select JERA and BP-led Consortiums for Offshore Wind Blocks

Japan’s industry and land ministries have made significant strides in the country’s offshore wind industry by selecting JERA and BP-led consortiums as operators for two offshore wind blocks in the latest auction round.

JERA-led Consortium Wins 615MW Wind Farm

The JERA-led consortium, comprising Green Power Investment and Tohoku Electric Power, secured the rights to develop a 615MW wind farm on the southern side of the Japan Sea off the Aomori prefecture. This project is poised to become one of the largest offshore wind farms in Japan, featuring 41 15MW wind turbines.

BP-led Consortium to Develop 450MW Wind Farm

BP, along with partners Marubeni, Kansai Electric Power, Tokyo Gas, and Marutaka, emerged as the winners for the 450MW wind farm off the coast of the Yamagata prefecture. This marks BP’s debut in the Japanese offshore wind market, with the project consisting of 30 wind turbines, each boasting a capacity of 15 MW.

Future Outlook for Offshore Wind Development in Japan

Both projects are slated to commence operations in 2030 and will feature bottom-fixed turbines supplied by Siemens Gamesa. The Japanese government has set ambitious targets for offshore wind energy, aiming for 10GW of offshore wind farms by 2030 and up to 45GW by 2040. A draft revised energy plan also envisions renewables contributing up to 50% of Japan’s electricity mix by fiscal 2040.

Notably, BP and JERA, the key players in this round, recently announced a collaboration to merge their offshore wind businesses and establish a standalone joint venture, demonstrating a commitment to further advancing offshore wind initiatives in Japan.