The Japanese government is taking steps to expedite the environmental assessments required for companies constructing offshore wind farms, as reported by Nikkei Asia on September 2. The government plans to implement a new, shorter assessment process to replace the existing one, which typically takes several years to complete. This streamlined process aims to omit two of the four main steps for potential wind farm operators. Additionally, the Ministry of the Environment will handle the initial stages, including on-site assessments, before operators submit bids for wind power projects. The goal is to reduce the time and effort required for businesses and accelerate the growth of the offshore wind sector in Japan.

Japan has set ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming to have 36% to 38% of renewables in its energy mix by 2030, up from the current level of approximately 20%. Offshore wind power is considered a critical solution for achieving Japan’s renewable energy goals, particularly due to the country’s limited available land for onshore renewable projects. Japan’s plans include establishing 10 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 45 GW by 2040, a significant increase from the 136 megawatts (MW) in operation as of 2022. In June 2023, the Japanese government completed the acceptance of proposals for the second round of offshore wind tenders, targeting the construction of 1.8 GW of capacity in four areas.

Sources:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Energy/Japan-to-shorten-assessments-for-offshore-wind-farms-environment-minister

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/japan-aims-become-major-offshore-wind-energy-producer-2023-06-30/