Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm Explained

Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm
Coordinates:43.3333°N 148°W
Country:Japan
Location:Sea of Japan
Status:O
Construction Began:[1]
Operator:Green Power Ishikari LLC
Wind Farm Type:Offshore
Wind Offshore Distance:3 km
Wind Hub Height:90 m
Wind Rotor Diameter:167 m
Ps Site Area:50NaN0
Ps Units Operational:14 x 8MW
Ps Units Manu Model:SG 8.0-167 DD
Ps Electrical Capacity:112MW
Website:JERA Projects - Ishikari Bay

The Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm off Ishikari Bay, Ishikari, Hokkaido, Japan. As of May 2024, it is, at 112MW, the largest commercial offshore wind farm in Japan.[2]

The project was originally developed by Green Power Investment Corporation (GPI), the Japanese affiliate of Pattern Energy.[3] The project ownership changed upon the sale in May 2023 of GPIto JERA - the joint venture of TEPCO Fuel & Power and Chubu Electric Power - and NTT Anode Energy.[4] The duo reportedly paid more than $US 2bn for GPI.[5]

The project uses the typhoon and seismic certified SG 8.0-167 DD offshore wind turbine from Siemens Gamesa[6] (where DD denotes its gearbox-less direct drive generator). It is the first project in Japan to use 8MW turbines.[2] Due to limited electrical transmission capacity to Honshu, and Hokkaido's relatively small, mainly rural, population, the local Transmission System Operator requires that all major renewable generator directly connect projects to a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and so the Ishikari Bay project is paired to a 100MW/180MWh BESS.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shimizu Begins Construction of Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Windfarm. 9 September 2022. Shimizu Corporation. 22 May 2024.
  2. Web site: Japan's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Now Online. Proctor. Darrell. 4 January 2024. POWER. Access Intelligence LLC. 24 May 2024.
  3. Web site: Offshore Wind and Battery Storage Project Takes Off in Japan. Durakovic. Adnan. 9 September 2022. Offshore Wind. Navingo. 22 May 2024.
  4. Web site: Pattern Energy Enters Agreement to Sell Japanese Assets. 18 May 2023. Pattern Energy. 22 May 2024.
  5. Web site: Japan’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Starts Commercial Operations. 4 January 2004. The Maritime Executive. The Maritime Executive LLC.. 24 May 2024 .
  6. Web site: Japanese Offshore Wind and Battery Storage Project Begins Commercial Operation. Memija. Adnan. 4 January 2024. Offshore Wind. Navingo. 25 May 2024.
  7. Web site: Pattern Energy closes financing on Japanese offshore wind project with 100MW/180MWh battery storage. Colthorpe. Andy. 12 September 2022. Energy Storage News. Solar Media Limited. 24 May 2024.