Japanese Trading Firm Marubeni Corp. Commences Operation of New Offshore Windfarm

Marubeni Corp, a Japanese trading firm, said in a statement that the Akita Port offshore wind farm began commercial operation on Tuesday based on the renewable energy feed-in tariff programme.

Japan's offshore wind power market is expected to expand as the government plans to instal up to 10 gigatonnes of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and up to 45 gigatonnes by 2040 as part of the country's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Marubeni's 100 billion yen ($768 million) project in northern Akita prefecture of two wind farms with 140 megawatt capacity at Akita Port and Noshiro Port is Japan's first large-scale commercial offshore wind power project.

Marubeni said that after operating its Noshiro Port offshore wind farm since late December last year, the launch of the Akita Port farm brings the project to full-scale operation.

Power from the two wind farms will be sold to Tohoku Electric Power under a power purchase agreement based on the feed-in tariff programme for a period of 20 years.

Obayashi Corp, Tohoku Sustainable & Renewable Energy Co, Cosmo Eco Power Co, Kansai Electric Power Co, and Chubu Electric Power Co are among Marubeni's 12 partners.