J-POWER joins floating offshore wind demo project in Spain

The company aims to gain additional knowledge about the technology.

Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-POWER) has joined the WHEEL project, a floating offshore wind power demonstration led by ESTEYCO SA in Spain.

In a statement, J-POWER said that the demonstration will be conducted off the coast of Gran Canaria. A floating offshore wind turbine (6,170 kW × 1 unit) will be constructed and tested using WHEEL, a floating foundation technology developed by ESTEYCO.

Through the project, the Japanese firm aims to acquire knowledge in the manufacturing, assembly, installation, and operation of floating offshore wind power. This is also seen to help in the development of floating offshore wind power projects in Japan and abroad.

“Whilst various floating foundation designs are currently under development, the WHEEL foundation, being primarily made of concrete, offers potential benefits over steel-based designs. These include cost reductions, lower CO2 emissions during manufacturing, and the potential for greater involvement of local businesses due to easier manufacturing,” J-POWER said.

The J-POWER Group, under its "J-POWER BLUE MISSION 2050,” aims to expand its carbon dioxide-free power sources, including wind power, as part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.