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Tokyo
Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO), Japan's largest power company,
has announced that the Choshi
offshore wind turbine will enter commercial
operation from 1st January 2019.
Since 2013, the 2.4MW
fixed-bottom demonstration turbine,
located 3.1km south of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture has been part of a rigorous
monitoring program to assess the feasibility of offshore wind development
in the area.
The demonstration provided TEPCO with valuable
experience in operating and maintaining the facility in harsh weather and
marine conditions, as well as ensuring equipment safety and resistance
to damage from saltwater. The demonstration test results proved conclusively
that TEPCO’s facility is safe and can be operated at a high capacity factor.
In 2017 TEPCO began deliberating commercialization of the wind power facility
and discussing operation protocols with related parties. This has now been
confirmed and the turbine will enter commercial operation from January
2019.
TEPCO’s eventual goal for domestic offshore wind power is an output of
2-3GW. TEPCO began conducting a seabed survey off the coast of Choshi in
early November 2018 to examine the feasibility of developing an offshore
wind farm in the area.
Find out more about the global offshore wind industry here.