Tokyo Eyes Offshore Wind Power

Akihabara News (Tokyo) — The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is sailing along with the trend towards the development of offshore wind power.

At the end of last week, the metropolitan government unveiled its “Tokyo Remote Island Development Plan,” covering the next ten years. One of the most notable new initiatives announced is the concept of building offshore wind power facilities at Izu Oshima island, which has a population of over 8,000 people.

According to the official in charge at the Oshima town government’s Waterworks and Environment Division, it is still very early in the process. There are a number of challenges facing the offshore wind power initiative.

The two largest hurdles are that there is yet to be any business feasibility study and that it is not yet clear if the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) will cooperate in establishing the needed connection to the electricity grid.

Moreover, the project will require a separate budgetary allocation and local fishermen will need to provide their consent.

If the project does go forward, it is expected to involve, at least initially, a 2MW floating wind demonstration project along the west side of the island.

The Oshima town office estimates that the realization of this small wind farm is at least three years distant.

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