The Japanese Government has passed a new Bill which sets a national framework for the development of offshore wind. Under the law, the government will set aside offshore areas for wind power projects. Developers will then bid to use the designated areas and successful bidders will then be given the right to use the zones for up to 30 years.
The next crucial stage will be to develop the next level of detail to clarify the expected power capacity of the zones and the overall ambition and timeframe for the zone allocation. Providing guidance on how developers should undertake the required site surveys needed to create the development plan and life cycle cost estimate will also be important, as will the provision for grid connections and clarification of whether costs will be borne by the developer or the grid operators.
