Marubeni, partners to study feasibility of 145-MW wind farm off Akita

Japanese trading firm Marubeni Corp (TYO:8002) and several partners will undertake a feasibility study for a 145-MW wind project off the coast of the northern prefecture Akita.

The bottom-fixed offshore wind park will include 65 MW of capacity near Akita Port and a further 80 MW near Noshiro Port. In February 2015, Marubeni was selected by the prefecture government to work on the project.

The company’s partners in the project are: Obayashi Corp, Tohoku Sustainable & Renewable Energy Co Inc, Eco Power Co Ltd, Akita Bank, The Kansai Electric Power Co Inc, Chubu Electric Power Co Inc, and seven Akita-based companies. Together, they will invest in the special purpose company (SPC), Akita Offshore Wind Farm Corp, set up by Marubeni in April to carry out the feasibility study.

If the results show the project is commercially viable, the SPC is to make an investment decision, seek approval and move the project to the construction and commercialisation stage.

“The wind conditions in Akita Prefecture are fairly reliable compared to that of other Japanese prefectures,” Marubeni noted.

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