RENOVA Inc. has selected wind turbines developed by MHI Vestas Offshore Wind A/S for the offshore wind power project being built off the coast of Yurihonjo city in Akita Prefecture.
Akita Yurihonjo Offshore Wind GK (AYOW) is jointly owned by RENOVA, Cosmo Eco Power Co. Ltd., JR-EAST Energy Development Co. Ltd. and Tohoku Electric Power Co. Inc. The project is expected to have a power generating capacity of approximately 700 MW, making it one of the largest offshore wind farms in Japan.
AYOW is currently engaged in dialogues with local residents, fishermen and other local stakeholders, while at the same time holding consultations on how the wind farm will contribute to the local community, conducting environmental impact assessments and various other surveys, and examining technical specifications.
“The Yurihonjo project will be a pioneer in the Japanese offshore wind market, and we recognize that the reliability of the wind turbines to be used is crucial,” says Yosuke Kiminami, founding CEO of RENOVA.
“I am sure that the wind turbines developed by MHI Vestas, which commands one of the largest shares of the global offshore wind turbine, will be perfectly suited for our project. We look forward to working with MHI Vestas to ensure that the project is deeply rooted in the local community and contributes to regional development,” he adds
The project has been under development since 2015, and a project plan was drawn up based on the Second Phase of Akita Prefectural Strategy for New Energy Industries formulated by Akita Prefecture in 2016. AYOW began wind condition measurements of the site in 2016 and commenced seabed ground surveys in the following year.
AYOW will continue working with members of the local community to implement the project and put the wind farm into commercial operation.
