Japan plans to develop an offshore wind farm in Fukushima as a replacement for the nuclear plant that was destroyed in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The proposed plant will employ 143 wind turbines to generate 1GWh energy per annum and will be located 16 kilometers off the coast of Fukushima.
First stage of the project will involve the construction of a 2MW turbine, a substation and undersea cable installation, reported PTI
University of Tokyo project manager Takeshi Ishihara was quoted by the news agency as saying that region’s high seismic activity will not have an impact on the proposed facility.
"All extreme conditions have been taken into consideration in the design. This project is important — I think it is impossible to use nuclear power in Fukushima again," offered Ishihara.
A team of researchers have performed computer simulations and water tank test to verify the safety of the turbines, to ensure their reliability during natural disasters and other extreme conditions such as typhoons.
The project is a part of Fukushima’s plan to become fully self-sufficient, in terms of energy, by utilizing renewable sources by 2040.