Dutch Firm Designs Blades for TouchWind’s Innovative Floating Wind Turbine
commercial version is expected to cost significantly less than traditional turbines while delivering higher energy yields.Responsible for the blade design, We4Ce partnered with Dutch mould specialist Kleizen to produce both the moulds and blades.TouchWind, backed by its main shareholder, Japan-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), contracted We4Ce as lead partner for the blades.The delivery of the blades marks the next prototype phase of TouchWind’s innovative tilting, one-piece rotor wind turbine. Featuring a six-meter-diameter rotor designed for efficient energy capture, the 12 kW turbines will
Fugro Gets Offshore Wind Survey Job in Japan
Fugro has been awarded a site characterization contract for a 684 MW offshore wind farm development off the coast of the Japanese cities of Murakami and Tainai, Niigate Prefecture, Japan.The offshore wind farm off the country’s west coast will be developed and realized by a consortium of RWE, Mitsui and Osaka Gas. Fugro’s geo-data will contribute to the detailed design of future turbine foundations and cable routes.The fieldwork started in May 2024 and is being performed from Fugro jack-up platform, the Amberjack and two of Fugro’s vessels the Equator and the Mariner.All are equipped
UK Mooring Specialist Enters Japanese Floating Wind Market
Moorings specialist First Marine Solutions has signed a collaboration agreement with Horizon Ocean Management (HOM), a joint venture between Mitsui and Hokutaku, for the development of mooring strategy-related services for the floating offshore wind sector in Japan.The agreement between the companies also entails providing consultancy services for the installation and O&M phase, mooring installation support, and O&M services, including monitoring, inspection, and repair.FMS’ experience in the offshore wind field has included key roles in several renewable energy projects for major
Innovative ‘Wall Climbing Robot’ for Ship Inspection Earns ClassNK Endorsement
The wall climbing robot for steel structures - developed by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, and MOL Ship Management to support ship inspection and maintenance - has completed a demonstration test and earned the Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) Innovation Endorsement.The Innovation Endorsement is ClassNK's third-party certification program. It certifies and supports initiatives that contribute to the sustainable evolution of maritime and offshore businesses.The robot developed by Japanese partners is characterized by its high traversability not only on vertical walls but also on
Three Winners for Japan's 2nd Offshore Wind Power Tender
2030, and up to 45 GW by 2040, as part of its decarbonisation push.The winner of a 315-megawatt (MW) wind farm off the coast of Oga-Katagami-Akita in Akita prefecture in northern Japan was a consortium of JERA, Electric Power Development (J-Power), Itochu and Tohoku Electric Power.Another consortium of Mitsui & Co., RWE and Osaka Gas won a 684 MW wind farm off the coast of Murakami-Tainai in Niigata prefecture in northern Japan.A third group of Sumitomo Corp and Tokyo Electric Power's renewable power unit won a 420 MW wind farm off the coast of Enoshima in Nagasaki prefecture in southwestern Japan
Subsea Cable Laying, Protection Innovation Funded in Japan
NYK, as a member of a consortium of four companies (also including: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.; and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.) has been selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in an open call for applications related to the "Development of basic technologies for a multi-purpose and multi-terminal high voltage direct current transmission system,” in addition to the “development of construction methods for the installation of cable protecting system, etc.” and the “development
Rovco, HOM Partner Up for Offshore Wind Work in Japan
UK-based subsea robotic services firm Rovco, has signed an agreement with Japan's Horizon Ocean Management (HOM) for through-life subsea asset integrity and balance of plant survey solutions for the Japanese offshore wind market.HOM is a subsidiary joint venture between Japanese conglomerate Mitsui and Hokutaku, a Japan-based wind turbine maintenance company.HOM and Rovco will work together to study the Japanese offshore wind market and learn more about demand in the country. They will also create asset integrity programs to support the maintenance of critical infrastructure.The two companies'
MOL, Bombora Targeting Wave Energy Opportunities in Japan
Wave energy converter developer Bombora has entered into an agreement with Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) to identify wave energy potential in Japan and across the region.MOL has recently said it has completed a detailed internal technical review of Bombora’s mWave wave energy converter. Bombora has developed a membrane style wave energy converter. The 1.5MW Demonstration Project of the converter in Wales is in the final assembly phase and is scheduled to be installed in mid-2021. A membrane style wave energy converter developed by Bombora is located 10 meters beneath the
Japanese Wind Fans Bank Interest
and harbours have already begun to attract interest from domestic and international lenders.In February, Akita Offshore Wind, a special purpose vehicle of a Marubeni-led, all-Japanese consortium, became the first borrower in the sector, agreeing a ¥80bn 20-year financing.MUFG, Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp led the transaction, which funded 140MW of generating capacity in the Akita and Noshiro ports in Akita prefecture at a cost of about ¥100bn.A Green Power Investment Corp-led 104MW offshore wind farm in Ishikari Bay, Hokkaido, could be the next project to reach financial close as
February 2025
