In the wake of the 2011 Fukishima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Japan has decided to build a 1GW wind farm.
This wind farm is intended to replace the Fukishima nuclear power plant, since it has been partially crippled, and its malfunction raised safety concerns, causing many to oppose nuclear power and avoid the risk associated with the inability of nuclear power plant operators to contain certain reactor disasters.
54 nuclear reactors were shut down because of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Except for the power from two, which already are back online, the power they supplied needs to be replaced.
The new wind farm will be comprised of 143 wind turbines on a platform that is 16 km (9.9 miles) off the coast of Fukishima. It is expected to be built by 2020.
The Greater Gabbard wind farm has 140 wind turbines, three fewer than the planned Fukushima farm. However, the turbines used for the Japanese wind farm are nearly twice as powerful as the ones used at Greater Gabbard.
This wind farm is part of Fukushima’s goal to become completely energy independent by 2040.
The UK is currently leading the offshore wind industry with a keen enthusiasm for offshore wind. But Japan is clearly eyeing the space as well.
On another note, the Fukushima Prefecture is also set to build the country’s largest solar farm. Add that to this 1GW wind farm, which is to have twice the power capacity of the largest offshore wind farm currently in operation in the world (Greater Gabbard, off the coast of Suffolk, UK), and Japan will have some clean energy momentum behind it.
This article was originally posted on Cleantechnica. Re-posted with permission.
