Executives from German developer Max Bogl Wind have met with the Japanese finance minster Taro Aso during a visit to Tokyo to explore options for renewable projects in the Asian country.
Max Bogl chief executive Stefan Bogl and board member Josef Knitl also met with officials from environment, economic affairs and industry ministries on the trip.
The company said that the Japanese showed an interest in wind-pumped storage hydro hybrid projects, similar to the Gaildorf ‘water battery’ project which Max Bogl has developed in Germany.
Knitl said: “(Japan) has a large number of suitable inland locations, for which our hybrid tower system with high hub heights is an ideal solution for a good wind yield.”
Gaildorf comprises four GE 3.4-137 machines with hubs heights of 155 to 178 metres, combined with a pumped hydro element that sees water held in the turbine bases and released when required to power a 16MW generator 200 metres downhill.
Max Bogl has also started making towers for the 207MW Korat 1&2 wind farms in Thailand at a mobile factory it set up in the country last year.
Image: Gaildorf (Max Bogl)


