Japan - Researchers ready for major wind power energy proposal

Japan can produce more than 10 percent of electricity consumed in the country by building a massive offshore wind power facility off the Kanto region of eastern Japan, researchers said. In a joint study by the University of Tokyo and Tokyo Electric Power Co., the researchers concluded that Japan can produce an annual 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity through such a facility, offering a key alternative to fossil fuels. The research team, led by University of Tokyo Associate Prof. Takeshi Ishihara, plans to announce its proposal at a symposium to be held in Tokyo from Nov. 22.

After two years of offshore wind observations and research into the Meteorological Agency's data, the team concluded that winds blowing on the sea off the Kanto region were strong enough. The team picked candidate offshore sites for the proposed facility by excluding areas where construction might be difficult due to the expected impact on fisheries and scenery. Japan can produce 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, or more than 10 percent of the country's annual consumption, if it builds a megafloat on one of the sites and sets up on it 12,000 wind power generators with output of 2,400 kilowatts each, the researchers said.

Wind power generators are increasing in Japan, with their combined output estimated at 1,078,000 kilowatts at the end of March, equivalent to the output of a single nuclear power station. Most of the generators are installed onshore and critics blame them for their negative impact on the environment.