Ministry of the Environment and a group led by Toda Corp. started floating offshore wind power generation on October 28th off the coast of Goto, Nagasaki Prefecture. A 100 meter-tall above sea level turbine generates 2 megawatt electricity. The group will be conducting demonstration through this project at the cost of 6 billion yen exploring ways to commercialize floating offshore turbines, which is scheduled to completion in 2015.

Hitachi Ltd., Fuyo Ocean Development & Engineering Co., Kyoto University, and the National Maritime Research Institute also participate in the project. The consortium had already finished experiments using a half-sized turbine that probed capability and durability of the system.

The demo turbine weighs about 3400 tons with a rotor of 80 meters in diameter, made of steel above sea level and of concrete below. A center of gravity in low position stabilizes the turbine and it can restore its position like a tumbler doll in strong wind and waves. Use of domestic-produced concrete saved the cost of construction.

The power generator of Japan’s biggest capacity for wind mills generates electricity equal to annual consumption of some 1800 households. The electricity is transmitted through 2 kilometer-long undersea cable to a nearby island, where connects the grid. The surplus power will be used in an island in the area. (2013/10/29)