Japan Awards Offshore Wind Sites to JERA-Led Consortium & BP and Partners

December 24, 2024, by Adnan Memija

The JERA-led consortium and BP, along with its consortium partners, have been granted exclusive rights to develop two offshore wind farms in Japan’s territorial waters.

Map of the Planned Project Area (Promotion Zone); Source: JERA

The awarded sites are part of the country’s 3rd auction round, where a total capacity of 1.1 GW has been granted for development.

BP and its consortium partners, Marubeni Corporation, Kansai Electric Power, Tokyo Gas, and Marutaka Corporation, were granted rights to develop a 450 MW offshore wind project.

The proposed location for the fixed-bottom wind farm is 2-5 kilometres off the coast of Yuza Town, in the Yamagata Prefecture.

The project, which marks BP’s entry into Japan’s offshore wind market, is planned to feature 30 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, each with an individual capacity of 15 MW.

Subject to obtaining the necessary internal and external consents and approvals, the expected commercial date will be before the end of 2030, said the consortium.

On 9 December 2024, BP and JERA announced an agreement to combine their offshore wind businesses to form a new, standalone, equally owned joint venture.

BP, JERA Forming ‘One of Largest Global Offshore Wind Developers’

Business & Finance

The consortium comprising JERA, Green Power Investment, and Tohoku Electric Power was selected to develop a 615 MW wind farm in the Sea of Japan, off the coast of Aomori Prefecture.

The project, which is one of the largest offshore wind farms in Japan, is planned to comprise 41 Siemens Gamesa 15 MW wind turbines, according to the developers.

The 615 MW offshore wind farm is expected to begin operations in June 2030.

At the beginning of this year, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism launched the tender for an offshore wind site in the Sea of Japan, off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, and a site off the coast of the town of Yuza in Yamagata Prefecture.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the two sites were designated for offshore wind development in October 2023, with public consultation held over the two following months.

The Government of Japan aims to deploy 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and up to 45 GW by 2040 as part of its target to reach net zero emissions by 2050.