Japanese electric utility JERA has unveiled plans to construct a 520MW offshore wind farm off the coast of Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido, Japan.
The company is a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between TEPCO Fuel & Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) and Chubu Electric Power.
It has also submitted the Planning Phase Environmental Impact Statement to the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry for the project construction.
Located at least 2.5km offshore from the cities of Ishikari and Otaru, the offshore wind farm will comprise approximately 65 wind turbines.
According to JERA, Ishikari Bay presents ideal conditions for the development of bottom-fixed offshore wind power generation, considering its favorable wind conditions, shallow seabed, and a nearby power grid that can accommodate additional capacity.
The wind project will also include a energy storage system to reduce the impact of wind generation output fluctuations on the power grid.
The Ishikari Bay offshore wind farm construction to be completed in about 36 months
JERA said: “As JERA aims to become a global leader in renewable energy, it has participated in offshore wind projects in the U.K. and Taiwan.
“JERA will apply its experiences and expertise in the construction and operation of such large-scale offshore wind projects to the current Project.”
Additionally, the company is planning to develop the project under the guidance of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and other related authorities.
Furthermore, it also estimates to complete the construction at the offshore wind farm in about 36 months.
Recently, JERA and Reliance Power have secured a $642m loan to build, own and operate a 745MW natural gas-fired thermal power plant near the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka.
Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, MUFG Bank and Société Générale have agreed to provide the loan for the project.
