Japan looks to Norway

One of this week’s big news: Japan will start planning a national floating offshore wind test centre already next year.

Only three weeks ago, a Japanese delegation visited our METCentre in Haugesund to discuss floating offshore wind testing and capabilities in the supply chain. At that time, Mr. Masakatsu Terazaki, Chairperson of FLOWRA, told they would immediately begin considering the establishment of their own 'demonstration test centre'. The aim was “to finalize the details by the end of the year.”

Well, the visit must have been inspiring — because already this week the announcement came in an interview with Reuters:

FLOWRA will start planning the test centre next year, drawing on experience from both Norway’s METCentre and Scotland’s EMEC.

Mr. Masakatsu Terazaki, Chairman of the Floating Offshore Wind Technology Research Association (FLOWRA) explains:

We must conduct verification tests in Japanese waters as Japan's ocean and weather conditions differ from those in Europe.

Norwegian Offshore Wind and the METCentre congratulate Japan on the decision and look forward to close collaboration on testing, demonstration, and supply-chain opportunities.

Director Cecilia Girard-Vika at the METCentre welcomes the decision:

We are impressed by Japan’s dedication to developing a national and holistic plan for offshore wind, including a test facility for floating offshore wind. We look forward to continued collaboration and hope that, together with our Japanese partners, we can advance scientific testing and technology validation to drive the development of this vital industry.

Floating offshore wind will be key as Japan seeks to build a 45 GW offshore wind pipeline by 2040.