Akita Port

Project Overview

The Akita Port and Noshiro Port Offshore Wind Farm projects are part of the first large-scale offshore wind power initiative in Japan. These projects are developed and operated by Akita Offshore Wind Corporation (AOW), a special purpose company established for this purpose.

Site Location

The wind farms are located at Akita Port and Noshiro Port in Akita Prefecture, Japan.

Installed Capacity

The total installed capacity of the wind farms is approximately 140 MW. This is divided between:

• Akita Port: 13 wind turbines, each with a 4.2 MW capacity, totaling 54.6 MW.
• Noshiro Port: 20 wind turbines, each with a 4.2 MW capacity, totaling 84 MW.

Generation Type

The wind farms are bottom-fixed offshore wind farms, utilizing monopile foundations for the installation of the wind turbines.

Project Cost

The total project cost is approximately 100 billion Japanese Yen.

Development and Ownership

The project is co-owned by multiple companies, including:

• Marubeni Corporation
• Obayashi Corporation
• Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc.
• Cosmo Eco Power Co., Ltd.
• The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.
• Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.
• The Akita Bank, Ltd.
• Ohmori Co., Ltd.
• Sawakigumi Corporation
• Kyowa Oil Co., Ltd.
• Katokensetsu Co., Ltd.
• Kanpu Co., Ltd.
• Sankyo Co., Ltd. Each of these companies holds a respective ownership stake, with several local companies from Akita also involved.

Construction and Operation

• Construction commenced in February 2020.
• The installation of the wind turbines was completed in September 2022.
• Commercial operation at Noshiro Port began on December 22, 2022.
• Commercial operation at Akita Port began on January 31, 2023.

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

The power generated from the wind farms is sold to Tohoku Electric Power Network Co., Inc. under a 20-year PPA. The power is sold at a rate of approximately $0.332 per kWh.

Turbine Details

The wind turbines used in the project are Vestas V117-4.2 MW turbines, with Vestas also serving as the O&M contractor for a period of 20 years.

Impact

The wind farms are capable of supplying enough clean energy to power approximately 48,950 households.

Maintenance and Operation

Akita Offshore Wind Corporation (AOW) plans to operate and maintain the wind farms for 20 years, with the operational base located at Noshiro Port.

This project marks a significant step in Japan's transition to renewable energy and is part of the broader efforts to expand offshore wind power generation in the country.