Japan will soon allow its territorial waters to be used for developing commercial offshore wind power.
The country’s National DIET (parliament) has approved a bill that allows commercial use of offshore wind in Japanese waters in December 2018.
The bill will be put into effect in the spring of 2019 and it is expected that the first offshore wind tenders will be released around the same time. It is expected that around five offshore wind development areas will be designated where offshore wind power facilities can be developed.
A ”basic policy” is expected from the Cabinet to use Japan’s territorial waters outside the port-related areas for the development of renewable energy.
What is expected next is that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (in consultation with other relevant ministries) will identify potential offshore wind zones, after which the developers would submit their bids.
The winners of the tendering process would get a 30-year lease to develop and operate wind farms at the designated areas.
Find out more about Japan’s wind power market at CMT's OWP Japan (Offshore Wind Power) on 15-17 May, 2019 in Tokyo.
