Akihabara News (Tokyo) — As part of its preparations for hosting a 391MW offshore wind farm, the city of Choshi is thinking beyond conventional facilities.
“We want to use offshore wind power to promote tourism and regional development,” explained Mayor Shinichi Koshikawa said at a press conference earlier this month.
The Choshi wind farm is one of the three zones awarded in December 2021 to Mitsubishi Corporation-led consortiums, but unlike the other offshore wind projects which have so far been awarded, it sits in Chiba Prefecture on the edge of the Kanto plain, with a regional population in excess of 43 million people.
“The sight of large windmills lined up on the sea can be expected to increase the number of visitors, including tourists, as a new scenic resource,” explains Takashi Hakkaku, chief examiner of the city government’s offshore wind power promotion office.
Hakkaku further notes that they’ve already mapped out a basic tour route, including an observation hall and the marina area, at which they hope to offer environmental education programs in cooperation with local businesses in the fields of tourism, accommodation, and transportation.
More conventionally, sections of the local Naarai Port will become a base for offshore wind related maintenance facilities, including warehouses and offices.
The first onshore construction for the Choshi wind farm is scheduled to begin in January 2025, with full operations anticipated for launch in September 2028.
Recent Wind Power Related Articles
Four Zones Opened to Offshore Wind Farms Bids
Japan Enters Offshore Wind Era
TEPCO Snaps Up Scottish Offshore Wind Firm