Rera Tech Inc. (Headquarters: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, CEO: Mizuki Konagaya, hereinafter referred to as "Rera Tech") has released an infographic visualizing "Trends in the amount of offshore wind power installed globally" and "Development of offshore wind power and wind observation in Japan."

table of contents
  1. Background to the release of the infographic
  2. Rapid growth in other countries, but Japan's growth rate is slow
  3. Expectations for the expansion of offshore wind power in Japan are rising
  4. Wind observation technology evolves with the times

Background to the release of the infographic

As a venture company spun out of Kobe University, we utilize the research results of Kobe University to conduct wind observations, data analysis, power generation forecasts, etc. to examine and confirm the economic feasibility and safety of wind power generation projects in areas where such projects are being considered.

Although the growth of the offshore wind power market in recent years is recognized, there is limited information that visualizes the amount and progress of offshore wind power installed in Japan in the global market, and the evolution of wind observation behind it. Therefore, by visualizing the efforts, data, and history in this field in Japan and other countries, we have released this infographic with the aim of further developing offshore wind power generation in Japan and promoting understanding of wind observation.

Rapid growth in other countries, but Japan's growth rate is slow

The trend in the amount of offshore wind power installed worldwide is predicted to grow rapidly by about 2010 times by 2030 compared to around 100. European countries, which have led the history of offshore wind power generation, are predicted to expand their annual installed capacity from 2010 GW (gigawatts) in 2.9 to 2030 GW, about 45 times that amount, by 130. In China, where the number of new offshore wind turbines installed has increased sharply since 2020, their annual installed capacity is expected to grow 2010 times from 0.1 GW in 2030 to 1400 GW by 140.

Countries that introduced offshore wind power generation later than Japan have also seen rapid development in recent years. For example, the United States, whose annual installed capacity was almost zero as of 2020, is predicted to expand to 2030GW by 25. In addition, Taiwan, which has a smaller population and area than Japan, is predicted to have an annual installed capacity of 2020GW in 0.13, far exceeding Japan's figure, compared to 2030GW in 12.

While the amount of offshore wind power installed around the world is growing rapidly and is expected to grow significantly in the future, Japan's speed of growth in installed capacity is slower than the rest of the world, indicating that we are entering a promising phase.

Expectations for the expansion of offshore wind power in Japan are rising

The first offshore wind turbines in Japan were installed in Setana Town, Hokkaido, and Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, in 2004. Since 2010, more have been installed in Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, and elsewhere. Furthermore, over the past year, large wind turbines have been installed in general sea areas off the coast of Nyuzen, Toyama Prefecture, as well as in port areas at Akita Port and Noshiro Port in Akita Prefecture, and at Ishikari Bay New Port in Hokkaido, making them the largest offshore wind power plants in Japan to date. In addition, after 1, following the expansion in Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture and Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the first round of offshore wind power plants are scheduled to begin operation in three areas (approximately 2025 MW, 1 turbines) offshore Noshiro City, Mitane Town, and Oga City, Akita Prefecture, offshore Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, and offshore Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture, based on the Renewable Energy Offshore Area Utilization Act, and four areas (approximately 3 MW, 1,690 turbines) offshore Oga City, Katagami City, and Akita City, Akita Prefecture, offshore Hachimantai Town and Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture, offshore Murakami City and Tainai City, Niigata Prefecture, and offshore Ejima, Saikai City, Nagasaki Prefecture, based on the Renewable Energy Offshore Area Utilization Act. This infographic also includes information up to the second round offshore Hachimantai Town and Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture, for which the selection of operators was announced in March 134.

Wind observation technology evolves with the times

Interest in offshore wind power generation has been growing in Japan, and the market has grown dramatically in recent years, but the evolution of wind observation technology is essential behind this. There has been a shift from onshore wind masts, which directly observe wind conditions in the sky, which are also used in onshore wind power generation, to indirect observation using remote sensing equipment, such as vertical lidars, which measure high-altitude winds (up to 300m above sea level) that cannot be reached by wind masts by shining a laser into the sky, scanning lidars, which measure by shining a laser from land toward the ocean, and floating lidar systems that can be used in deep offshore waters. As indirect observation develops, it is expected that offshore wind turbines will also expand from bottom-mounted systems near the coast to floating systems offshore.

As such, we can see that in recent years, the development and introduction of new wind observation methods for offshore wind power generation has progressed. The introduction of new wind observation methods will contribute to not only improving the accuracy of wind condition surveys but also reducing costs, supporting the growth of the offshore wind power generation market. However, while new wind condition observation methods (lidar) have been introduced, there were no test sites in Japan to verify such wind condition observation equipment. From fiscal 2023, through a NEDO project, Relatec has been working with Kobe University and the Japan Weather Association to build and begin operation of Japan's first offshore wind condition observation test site.