Japan Targets 30-45 Gigawatts in Offshore Wind Power Generation

Japan will aim to boost the country’s offshore wind power generation capacity to 30-45 gigawatts in 2040, a government vision clarified Tuesday.

According to the offshore power wind industry vision, adopted at a public-private panel meeting, the government will first raise by 2030 the capacity to 10 gigawatts, equal to the combined capacity of 10 nuclear reactors.

It will also lower the cost of power generation using wind facilities fixed to the seabed to 8-9 yen per kilowatt-hour in 2030-2035, or equal to levels in Europe.

The panel mainly comprises senior officials of the industry and land ministries, experts and representatives from machinery and power companies.

Offshore wind power generation, which emits no carbon dioxide, would be a key to realizing the government’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero in 2050.