Japanese utility JERA Co Inc announced it plans to construct a 520-MW wind farm off the coast of Ishikari Bay on Hokkaido island.
The company has submitted the project’s Planning Phase Environmental Impact Statement to the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. This is the first of four phases stipulated under the Japanese law, the announcement notes.
Named the Ishikari Bay Offshore Wind Farm, the facility will consist of up to 65 wind turbines in total located at least 2.5 km (1.5 miles) offshore from the cities of Ishikari and Otaru. The number of turbines will be lower if the developer choses a more powerful machine up to 14 MW per unit.
The scheme also envisages deploying an energy storage system in order to mitigate the impact of wind generation output fluctuations on the power grid.
JERA estimates that the construction period will take approximately 36 months to complete, the firm estimates.