Danish Expertise to Inspire Japan’s Upscaling of Offshore Wind Energy

20 February 2017

PRESS RELEASE: Offshore wind technology has taken explosive steps forward over the past couple of decades. Denmark, Danish producers, project developers and investors have been frontrunners in the development of this new global industry.

In Japan, the offshore wind sector is just taking off. So far just 53 MW offshore wind turbines have been installed, but signs are that the sector is in motion. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has announced that renewable energy by 2030 shall account for 22-24 per cent of the Japanese power generation. Offshore wind can get a special focus in this transformation.

As the leading nation for developing offshore wind projects and solutions, Denmark and Danish expertise in all parts of the value chain are of the highest interest for the Japanese energy sector. At the end of February and beginning of March, Japanese wind energy professionals will meet with a delegation of Danish experts from industry and consultancy to discuss how Japan can benefit from the Danish experience in investments, project development, and installation of offshore wind farms.

The Danish business delegation will start out in Kitakyushu on Monday February 27, where a major offshore project is planned. Here, they will meet the city authorities and local stakeholders. In Tokyo they will meet with the Japan Wind Power Association and a number of JWPA-members for a seminar,visit the ECO Power Co. and the Marubeni Corporation. On Thursday March 2, they will attend the Wind Energy Expo & Conference 2017 in Tokyo, where additional Danish companies are showcasing their competencies at the Danish pavilion.

H. E. Freddy Svane, Danish Ambassador to Japan:

- The energy sector in Japan is undertaking a rapid development towards more sustainability. New projects with offshore wind farms are in progress at various sites of the country. Denmark offers a unique experience from our energy mix and has great knowledge within the wind energy sector from our own history.

The world’s first offshore wind farm consisting of 11,450 kW turbines was commissioned in Denmark in 1991. It was decommissioned in late 2016 as the technological progress is moving fast. Today full scale test of turbines of up to 10 MW is taking place in Denmark and the first 8 MW turbines from the Danish-Japanese joint venture MHI Vestas have recently been installed in the Irish Sea. In 2016, wind energy provided 37.6% of Denmark’s electricity consumption but plans go further, as 50% of the electricity consumption will be generated by wind energy by 2021.

Denmark is currently home to 1,271 MW offshore wind energy and additional 1,378 MW will be commissioned before the end of 2021. For society, the transformation is essential. In the latest Danish offshore wind tender, the winning bid was the lowest ever for offshore wind turbines globally and overall, tender prices for offshore wind turbines have fallen significantly in recent years due to a more mature market and more competition, professionalism of developers and industry as well as technological advances.

For further information, please contact:

Laerke Steinmann, Embassy of Denmark, Tokyo
[email protected], tel. +81 (0)90 7823 3853

Anette Kørschen Brænder, Senior Project Manager, State of Green
[email protected], tel. +45 4010 6518