Splash247: Japan launches vertical-axis floating wind pilot

Published by Splash247

A consortium of six companies has installed an experimental low-cost next-generation vertical-axis floating wind turbine off the coast of Japan.

The consortium consists of six Japanese firms – Electric Power Development, Tokyo Electric Power, Chubu Electric Power, K-Line, Sumitomo, and Albatross Technology.

The concept aims to make a fully domestic offshore wind supply chain possible. The demonstration in a bay off Iki City started in July.

The demonstrator consists of a vertical-axis wind turbine with three straight blades and a cylindrical floating foundation. The rotor diameter is 9.3 m, and the floating foundation diameter is 1.7 m.

The maximum output power is under 20kW. Station-keeping is achieved by three mooring lines, each connected to seabed anchors. The demonstration will verify its technical feasibility through numerical analyses and water tank test results.

After the demonstration, the unit will be decommissioned, and detailed inspections of each component will be carried out. These activities are expected to help identify challenges for long-term operation and to support improvements in the design of future larger-scale systems.

The adaptation of conventional horizontal-axis wind turbines to the floating system poses a significant challenge, as it requires large floating foundations and mooring systems, resulting in high costs.

To overcome these challenges, this experimental concept is based on a rational shift in design philosophy informed by marine engineering principles. The goal is to significantly reduce energy costs by simplifying the structure and lowering the centre of gravity, while developing domestic supply chains for floating offshore wind.

Outcomes from the demonstration, together with ongoing studies for larger-scale systems, will be used to advance the development of megawatt-class demonstration systems, with the goal of their future commercial deployment.

Through this, the consortium aims to establish offshore wind as a primary source of electricity and contribute to the realisation of a carbon-neutral society.