WG1: Expert Meeting on Floating Offshore Wind Technologies & Networking

The Global Offshore Wind Summit-Japan (GOWS-J) 2024 provided the perfect stage for a German and Japanese expert event of the Japanese-German Energy Partnership on floating offshore wind technologies, organized by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (AHK Japan) and adelphi.

On 4 September, experts and companies from both countries presented and exchanged on innovative technologies, challenges and solutions for kick-starting the floating offshore wind market in Japan. Representatives from Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry presented the current offshore wind policy developments in Germany and Japan. Both countries strive for strongly increased offshore wind deployment in the next years. While Germany is perusing mainly bottom-fixed offshore wind, Japan sees lot of potential in floating technologies to reap the benefits of its extensive exclusive economic zone.

Despite Germany not deploying floating offshore in the North- or Baltic Seas, German companies offer their ample experience and innovations for ramping-up floating offshore in Japan, looking for further cooperation with Japanese partners. Mr. Yusuke Fukumoto (RWE Japan) and Dr. Marc Peters (Herrenknecht AG) presented their experience in offshore wind project development and showcased their expertise in drilling and foundations for offshore wind turbines, bottom-fixed and floating. Mr. Miguel A. Sánchez Cano, SanCo shared additional insights on the de-risking of offshore wind projects. From the Japanese side, Mr. Masakatsu Terazaki of the newly established Floating Offshore Wind Research Association 浮体式洋上風力技術研究組合 / "FLOWRA" by leading Japanese companies in the offshore wind sector, shared insights into the development of new floating offshore market in Japan and called for additional cooperation on the international level on issues of standardization and technology development.

For future exchanges, the working group 1 of the energy partnership will exchange on issues of marine spatial planning and offshore hydrogen electrolysis.