Arya News - Japan’s largest onshore wind farm has entered commercial operation. GE Vernova’s Onshore Wind business, the turbine supplier for the project, on April 3 said the Abukuma wind farm has begun […]
Japan"s largest onshore wind farm has entered commercial operation. GE Vernova’s Onshore Wind business, the turbine supplier for the project, on April 3 said the Abukuma wind farm has begun producing power, with the 147-MW wind farm utilizing 46 of GE Vernova"s 3.2 MW–103-meter onshore wind turbines. The Abukuma facility was designed by Fukushima Fukko Furyoku, a joint venture established by a consortium of nine companies, led by Sumitomo Corp. The group was formed to develop and operate onshore wind power projects in the Abukuma area of Fukushima as part of the prefecture"s reconstruction efforts after the 2011 tsunami. The project, under the leadership of Sumitomo Corp., is an example of international collaboration in support of Japan"s renewable energy expansion. The wind farm combines GE Vernova’s advanced technology with project leader Toshiba Corp."s execution capabilities. The project supports Japan"s goal of increasing the share of the national electricity mix from renewable energy from 40% to 50% by 2040. The country wants to position renewable energy as the country"s main power source, as part of a strategy outlined by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry"s 7th National Electricity Mix. The announcement represents the fifth time that GE Vernova has announced an order or milestone in Japan since the beginning of 2024, and the wind farm is part of 1.8 GW of energy being supplied in the country by GE Vernova wind turbines. David Hardy, chief commercial officer for GE Vernova"s Wind segment, said, "We are pleased to announce the start of operation of this critically important wind farm for Japan along with our consortium members. The Abukuma wind farm is powered by technology that is developed to minimize environmental impact and cope with extreme weather conditions in Japan, reinforcing our commitment to supporting our customers in meeting Japan"s ambitious renewable energy and wind power goals." "We are proud to have accomplished this meaningful project together with GE Vernova in Fukushima. We believe this wind farm will contribute to the region"s economic development for years to come, generating local employment opportunities and other positive impacts. From a decarbonization perspective, we also see this project as helping Fukushima Prefecture become a leading region in the adoption of renewable energy on the global stage," said Hirano Takayuki, representative for Fukushima Fukko Furyoku. GE Vernova"s Onshore Wind business has a total installed base of about 57,000 turbines, with more than 120 GW of installed capacity worldwide. — POWER edited this content, which was contributed by GE Vernova"s communications team.