Japan’s parliament today approved a new law to promote offshore wind projects off the coast of the Asian country, according to the Japanese Wind Power Association.
The association said the law should come into effect next spring, following three months for “fixing detail ordinances”, with the first auction in the spring or summer next year.
JWPA said additions to the law include rights for the country’s fishing industry and a rule that winning bidders set aside finance for decommissioning of projects.
Carbon Trust offshore wind director Jan Matthiesen welcomed the news from Japan.
He said: “We are really pleased to see the news today that 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.”
He added that the law sends a strong signal that the Japanese government is committed to long-term investment in the sector.
“This bill is a big step in the right direction. 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.”