In Japan, offshore wind power generation is regarded as a most important source of renewable energy, and offshore wind farms have been developed since 2020. The City of Kitakyushu launched the project Green Energy Port Hibiki (GEPH) in 2011 aiming to create a “Comprehensive center” that would holistically provide all necessary services to offshore wind related circles. The center consists of four functional components: 1) Installation base, 2) Production base, 3) O&M base, and 4) Logistics base. These are being developed in parallel to create synergies, leading to the full realization of the “Comprehensive center,” and achieving the GEPH project goals.
Through the developments made so far, the basic environment necessary for the Center has been established in terms of both software and hardware. At the Installation base, Japan’s first and largest offshore wind farm is in the final stages of construction work, and some following up farms are lined up to use the base. As for the Production base, locally manufactured foundation “Jackets” (a type of foundation for a fixed offshore wind turbine) are being adopted by wind farms around the country, forming the first supply chain in Japan. Furthermore, as the O&M base, Kitakyushu has succeeded in attracting the largest specialist contractor to the center, which has grown into the only base in Japan that offers integrated services in collaboration with local businesses.
Currently, what Kitakyushu is interested in and focuses on is to develop a “Floating base” that will provide one-stop services required for the construction of floating wind farms, that are expected to be deployed in the country as from around 2030. Kitakyushu believes that the most important phase in forming the “Comprehensive center” is to expand the Production and Installation base functions for ultra-large foundation “Floaters” (a foundation for a floating offshore wind turbine) and related equipment, as well as the Logistics base functions for providing strategic shipping services to deliver these to the market.