Japan steps up effort to lower floating wind power cost

: Electricity
24/06/14

Japan is stepping up efforts to lower overall costs for offshore floating wind power generation, which can play a key role in boosting the country's renewable energy supplies.

Japan's trade and industry ministry Meti and state-owned research institute Nedo said on 11 June that they have decided to support two pilot projects that will seek to bring down the overall costs for offshore floating wind power generation. Nedo plans to provide around ¥85bn ($539.8mn) from its green innovation fund over seven fiscal years from April 2024 to 31 March 2031.

A consortium of nine Japanese companies led by Marubeni Offshore Wind Development, a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese trading house Marubeni, has won a public tender to set up a project around 25km offshore south of Akita prefecture. The consortium plans to install two floating wind power facilities with capacity of over 15MW, targeting for operations to begin around autumn of 2029.

Another consortium of five Japanese firms led by engineering firm C-Tech, a group company of utility Chubu Electric Power, is planning to build a floating power generator with over 15MW of capacity offshore Aichi prefecture.

The projects assume relatively large capacity deployments of more than 10MW and aim to establish commercial technology for offshore wind to become globally competitive cost-wise by 2030. The project winners should set a cost target, referencing the US' cost target of $0.045/kWh by 2035, according to the government's wind power auction guidelines.

This cost reduction is needed to accelerate a rollout of floating wind power facilities and help Japan achieve its 2050 net zero emission goal.

Japan's purchase cost for electricity generated by offshore floating power facilities is set at ¥36/kWh for the April 2024-March 2025 fiscal year under the country's feed-in-tariff and feed-in-premium schemes. This can be compared with the lowest contract price of ¥3/kWh for bottom-fixed offshore wind projects in the latest public auction in December 2023, with the auction having secured a total of around 1.8GW bottom-fixed offshore wind capacity.

Japan is aiming to install 23.6GW of wind power capacity by 2030, including 5.7GW offshore and 17.9GW onshore. It is eyeing the development of offshore wind farms, especially by promoting floating technology, given the country's geographical constraints. Tokyo aims to have offshore wind projects of 10GW by 2030 and 30-45GW by 2040.

Tokyo has agreed to new legislation that will allow wind power facilities to be built in its exclusive economic zone, beyond its territorial and internal waters regulated under current laws, while striving to protect the marine environment. It is aiming to pass the amended legislation in an ordinary parliament session that will end on 23 June.

Japan is under pressure to boost renewable power capacity to spur decarbonisation because the future of its nuclear industry is still unclear. But rising intermittent output from renewables will also prompt the country's power producers to secure sufficient thermal power capacity, including gas and coal, to help adjust power imbalances. Tokyo aims to generate 41pc of its electricity from thermal fuels in the April 2030-March 2031 fiscal year, which is higher than 36-38pc for renewables, under its current basic energy policy, which is due for a review this year.

By Motoko Hasegawa

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

25/05/02

Australia's Coalition eyes power, resource funding cuts

Sydney, 2 May (Argus) — Australia's federal Coalition opposition has announced it will cut key energy rebates and resource sector subsidies, if elected on 3 May, to reduce forecast future budget deficits. The Peter Dutton-led opposition will cut programs, including the Labor government's A$20bn ($12.8bn) Rewiring the Nation transmission plan, and the A$15bn National Reconstruction Fund aimed at underwriting green manufacturing using domestic minerals. It will also unwind electric vehicle tax concessions to save A$3.2bn, and cancel planned production tax credits for critical minerals processing and green hydrogen estimated to cost A$14.7bn. Combined savings measures will improve the budget's position by A$13.9bn over the four years to 2028-29, the Coalition said on 1 May, cutting debt by A$40bn during the same timeframe. The announcement comes as opinion polls show Australia's next federal government is likely to force one of the two major parties into minority, after a campaign where cost-of-living relief promises have trumped economic reform policy. The centre-left Labor party is more likely than the conservative Coalition to form government at the 3 May poll. It holds a thin majority of just three seats in parliament's main chamber, the House of Representatives, meaning a swing against it would force it to deal with minor parties such as the Greens and independent groupings. Promising a stable government, as Australia emerged from Covid-19, Labor had benefited from a resources boom as Russia's invasion of Ukraine led LNG and coal receipts to skyrocket and China's emergence from lockdowns revitalised its demand for iron ore, which jointly form the nation's main commodity exports. But as markets adjust to a period of protectionist trade policy and predictions of a slowdown in global growth abound, economists have criticised the major parties' reluctance to embrace major reform on areas such as taxation, while continuing to spend at elevated levels post-pandemic. Australia's resource and energy commodity exports are forecast to fall to A$387bn in the fiscal year to 30 June 2025 from A$415bn in 2023–24. The Office of the Chief Economist is predicting further falls over the next five years, reaching A$343bn in 2029-30, lowering expected government revenue from company tax and royalties. Gas The Coalition has pledged a domestic reservation scheme for the east coast, forcing 50-100PJ (1.34bn-2.68bn m³/yr) into the grid by penalising spot LNG cargoes. Australia's upstream lobby has opposed this, but rapidly declining reserves offshore Victoria state mean gas may need to be imported to the nation's south, depending on the success of electrification efforts and an uncertain timeline for coal-fired power retirements. Labor has resisted such further gas interventions , but it is unclear how it will reverse a trend of rising gas prices and diminishing domestic supply, despite releasing a future gas plan last year. The party is promising 82pc renewables nationally by 2030, meaning it will have to nearly double the 2025 year-to-date figure of 42pc. This could require 15GW of gas-fired capacity by 2050 to firm the grid. On environmental policy, narrowing polls mean Labor's likely partners in government could be the anti-fossil fuel Greens and climate-focused independents — just some of the present crossbench of 16 out of a parliament of 151. The crossbench may drive a climate trigger requirement in any changes to environmental assessments, which could rule out new or brownfield coal and gas projects. Coal has been conspicuously absent from policy debates, but Labor has criticised the Coalition's nuclear energy policy as expensive and unproven, while the Coalition has said Labor's renewables-led grid would be unstable and costly because of new transmission requirements. The impact of the US tariff shock that dominated opening days of the month-long election campaign remains unclear. Unlike Canada, Australia is yet to be directly targeted by US president Trump's rhetoric on trade balances and barriers. But the global unease that has set in could assist Labor's prime minister Anthony Albanese, as he presents an image of continuity in an uncertain world economy. Australia's main exposure to Trump tariffs is via China, its largest trading partner and destination for about 35pc of exports, including metal concentrates, ores, coal and LNG. A downturn in the world's largest manufacturer would spell difficult times ahead for Australia, as it grapples with balancing its budget in a normalising commodity market. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil's energy transition spending drops in 2024

25/04/30

Brazil's energy transition spending drops in 2024

Sao Paulo, 30 April (Argus) — Brazil's mines and energy ministry's (MME) energy transition spending shrank by 83pc in 2024 from the prior year, while resources for fossil fuel incentives remained unchanged, according to the institute of socioeconomic studies Inesc. The MME's energy transition budget was R141,413 ($24,980) in 2024, down from R835,237 in the year prior. MME had only two energy transition-oriented projects under its umbrella last year: biofuels industry studies and renewable power incentives, which represented a combined 0.002pc of its total R7bn budget. Still, despite available resources, MME did not approve any projects for renewable power incentives. It also only used 50pc of its budget for biofuel studies, Inesc said. Even as supply from non-conventional power sources advances , most spending in Brazil's grid revamp — including enhancements to better integrate solar and wind generation — comes from charges paid by consumers through power tariffs, Inesc said. Diverging energy spending Brazil's federal government also cut its energy transition budget for 2025 by 17pc from last year and created a new energy transition program that also pushes for increased fossil fuel usage. The country's energy transition budget for 2025 is R3.64bn, down from R4.44bn in 2024. The new program — also under MME's umbrella — has a budget of around R10mn, with more than half of it destined to studies related to the oil and natural gas industry, Inesc said. A second MME program — which invests in studies in the oil, natural gas, products and biofuels sectors — has an approved budget of R53.1mn. The science and technology ministry is the only in Brazil that increased its energy transition spending for 2025, with R3.03bn approved, a near threefold hike from R800mn in 2024. Spending will focus on the domestic industry sector's energy transition, Inesc said. Climate activists have criticized Brazil for not planning to phase out fossil fuels before, including criticisms to the first letter written by the UN Cop 30 summit's president. The country will hold the summit in November in northern Para state. By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Nemos commit to 15-minute settlement in power SDAC

25/04/30

Nemos commit to 15-minute settlement in power SDAC

London, 30 April (Argus) — Eleven nominated electricity market operators (Nemos) have confirmed their "readiness and commitment" to proceed with a 15-minute settlement in the single day-ahead coupling (SDAC) market on 11 June, according to a statement given to Argus . The co-signing Nemos — Oslo-based Nord Pool, Czech OTE, Austrian EXAA, Greek Enex, Italy's GME, Spain's Omie, Bulgarian Ibex, Poland's TGE, Slovakian Okte, Croatia's Cropex and Romanian BRM — confirmed that they "do not share the misgivings" about the 15-minute settlement transition expressed by European power exchange Epex Spot earlier this month , the Nemos told Argus . Nord Pool previously told Argus on 17 April that it was "confident and ready" to deliver 15-minute trading. The market operators do "not recognise" the problems cited by Epex and are sure that the "necessary infrastructure and processes" are in place to implement the move on time successfully. Instead, the co-signed Nemos stressed that the transition is a "pivotal advancement" and any delay risks "hinder[ing] progress" towards a better-integrated market. Specifically, the signatories clarified that the decoupling registered in some tests and cited by Epex Spot was not "due to a lack of reliability" in the system. Instead, they attributed this to "internal local testing issues of certain parties in the initial [testing] stage". The Nemos added that all performance tests of the central matching algorithm (Euphemia) were "successfully completed and validated by all parties, including Epex Spot". The co-signed Nemos noted that most test scenarios, "both functional and procedural", were "successfully completed and validated", adding that any reference to the implicit intraday auction (IDA) decoupling scenario is "misleading and inappropriate" as these were "caused by local issues" and the "time allocated to IDA executions" is less than 25pc of the "overall time available for SDAC". By Daniel Craig Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

France to review role of renewables in energy plan

25/04/30

France to review role of renewables in energy plan

London, 30 April (Argus) — The French government will delay the publication of its 10-year energy plan (PPE), and could change its content to take into account criticism that it gives too much priority to renewables, after a debate in the French parliament earlier this week. Prime minister Francois Bayrou on 28 April held a parliamentary debate on the much-delayed plan, which was initially due to come out in 2023. Publication appeared imminent last month, but revolts in the parliament — in which the prime minister does not have a majority — have forced the government to reconsider. The government will take its decisions "in some months", Bayrou told the parliament. "This PPE is not written in advance and everyone will be able to contribute before the final version," he said, opening the door to a rewrite of the plan, which committed to large increases in wind and solar photovoltaic capacity. A commission will deliver a report at the end of May, to be followed by a parliamentary debate on a version of the plan authored by senator Daniel Gremillet in June. The government's support for renewable energy will be "reasoned", he said, suggesting there could be a scaling back of wind and solar ambition. Bayrou highlighted the problems of solar energy, including that its peak output does not correspond to peak demand periods. To solve this problem, France must make its demand more flexible — including through the upcoming reform of tariffs, which will offer lower prices to some customers in the middle of the day — and through developing storage, he said. But the question of cost remains. Roof-mounted installations in France — the sector which has advanced the fastest over the past year — produce at a cost of €100/MWh, he said, compared with €40/MWh at large ground-mounted plants in Spain. But the public acceptability of covering large areas of countryside with low-cost solar farms remains a question, he said. And the development of onshore wind must be "reasonable", as public acceptability of the technology diminishes as the number of installations increase, Bayrou said. France must focus on repowering existing sites, he added. And the government firmly supports extending the lifespan of existing nuclear plants, and building at least six more reactors to enter service from 2038, Bayrou said. Right-wing Rassemblement National (RN) called for an increase in nuclear ambition, demanding the construction of 10GW of new nuclear by 2035, upratings at existing reactors and increasing the load factor of the fleet to 80pc. This would put France on the road to increasing its energy mix to 60pc low carbon by then, up from 37pc now, RN deputy Maxime Amblard said. But this would be accompanied by a moratorium on intermittent renewables, especially on wind farms, he said. The centre-left socialists called for the publication of the PPE as is, while left-wing LFI and green parties criticised what they characterised as a lack of ambition on emissions reduction and too heavy a reliance on nuclear. By Rhys Talbot Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Norway's Equinor sees minor fall in 1Q output, profit

25/04/30

Norway's Equinor sees minor fall in 1Q output, profit

London, 30 April (Argus) — Norwegian state-controlled Equinor posted a profit of $2.63bn in the first quarter — a decline of 2pc on the year — as production dropped slightly and it reported lower liquids prices. Although its profit fell compared with a "strong" first quarter of 2024, it was an increase of nearly a one third from the fourth quarter of 2024. Equinor's production was 2.12mn b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d) in the January-March period, lower on the year by 2pc. "The production decrease was similar for both gas and liquids," the company said. It cited "strong" operational performance for most of its Norwegian fields, which it said "almost offsets the negative production impact from the shut-in at Sleipner B… and planned and unplanned maintenance at Hammerfest LNG." The Sleipner B platform was shut down in October after a fire . Equinor's US production rose on the year, while its output from international assets fell over the same timeframe owing to its exits from Nigeria and Azerbaijan in 2024. Equinor reported an average liquids price of $70.6/bl in the January-March quarter, down by 7pc on the year. Its realised piped gas prices rose considerably over the same time, to $14.80/mn Btu for Europe and $4.06/mn Btu for the US — increases of 57pc and 74pc, respectively. The company's total first-quarter power generation increased by 9pc on the year, to 1.4TWh, driven by "stronger clean spark spreads in gas to power generation and onshore assets in Brazil." But the renewables share of this slid by 2pc over the same period, to 760,000GWh because of "unfavourable wind conditions." Equinor is considering its legal options with regards to its US Empire Wind project, chief executive Anders Opedal said today. The US government in April ordered work to stop on the planned 810MW wind farm, offshore New York. "We have invested in Empire Wind after obtaining all necessary approvals, and the order to halt work now is unprecedented and in our view unlawful," Odepal said. "This is a question of the rights and obligations granted under legally issued permits, and security of investments based on valid approvals." The company reported a marginal decline in its upstream CO2 intensity in the first quarter 6.1kg CO2/bl, compared with 6.2kg CO2/bl for full-year 2024. There was a similar drop in absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — at 2.7mn t/CO2 equivalent (CO2e) for the first quarter, compared with 2.9mn t/CO2e a year earlier. Equinor confirmed a cash dividend of $0.37/share for the first quarter and plans to launch a second tranche of its share buyback programme of up to $1.265bn, subject to authorisation at its annual general meeting in May. The first tranche of this year's buyback programme was completed on 24 March with a total value of $1.2bn. By Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more