SSE Pacifico and partners secure public funding for Japanese floating offshore wind demonstrator

• c30MW demonstrator will be among the deepest anywhere in the world

• Follows competitive process administered by Japanese Government

• Consortium features SSE Pacifico, alongside Marubeni and other partners

• SSE Renewables entered the Japanese market in 2021 when it signed an agreement with Pacifico Energy

• Demonstrator is first consented project in which SSE will be involved in emerging Japanese offshore wind market

A development consortium in which SSE Pacifico is a member has been awarded public funding for a circa 30MW floating offshore wind demonstration project in Japan.

The news comes following a competitive process under the Green Innovation Fund (GIF), established by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and announced by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) which administers the fund.

The winning consortium’s bid is one of two to have been selected under the competitive process. Up to 85 billion yen (circa £420m GBP) in public funding will be provided and is expected to be evenly split between the two successful projects. The funding will be awarded in phases as each project reach key development milestones.

SSE Pacifico, which is 80% owned by SSE, is partnering with development consortium lead Marubeni Offshore Wind Development (MOWD) and other local partners in the successful bid. The demonstrator is the first consented project in which SSE will be involved in the emerging Japanese offshore wind market. 

Located off the southern coast of Akita Prefecture in the north of Honshu, Japan's main island, the demonstration project would be developed in water depths of up to 400 metres, making it one of the deepest offshore development sites in the world. The consortium plans to develop two circa 15MW demonstrator offshore wind turbines to be deployed with semi-submersible floating foundations.

The consortium will now work on progressing the project subject to reaching key milestones. If it proceeds to construction, the project would help pave the way to future growth in Japan’s and international floating offshore wind development in deep-sea areas.

Success in this bid process will allow SSE Pacifico, alongside key development consortium partners, to build a greater understanding of deploying floating offshore wind energy technology in Japan, a key target market for offshore wind growth with the world’s sixth^(*1) largest seabed area.

Dai Karasawa, President of SSE Pacifico, said:

"We’re delighted our consortium has been successful in the GIF auction in Japan. This demonstration project will play a critical role in enhancing real world knowledge about deploying floating wind at such depths, not only in Japan but globally. It further enhances SSE’s standing in floating wind technology and builds on our strong collaboration with Marubeni on the Ossian floating wind project in the UK.”

Japan’s Green Innovation Fund (GIF) has been established to support the country’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, while accelerating the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy and enhancing Japan's competitiveness in the global market. The GIF provides financial support for businesses and projects that focus on innovative technologies and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The fund targets various sectors, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable industrial processes. The GIF also aims to foster research and development, demonstration projects, and the commercialisation of new technologies up to FY 2030.

The research focus of the consortium’s project is to optimise the business development, EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation), and O&M (Operation and Maintenance) processes as a demonstration project, aiming at mass production and cost reduction of floating offshore wind power generation in Japan.

*1 The number includes exclusive economic zone.