According to a recent report from energy think tank Ember, offshore wind is considered the key element needed to achieve a decarbonized power sector in Japan.
Under the current plans, Japan is projected to account for only 4% of the total 150GW of offshore wind capacity that the G7 countries have collectively committed to build by 2030.
Japan aims to allocate offshore wind contracts for 10GW before 2030, but it has not provided any indication that more than 5.7GW will be operational by that time. Consequently, Japan's operational offshore wind capacity is anticipated to represent just 4% of the G7's overall target of 150GW by 2030.
This figure also represents slightly over 1% of Japan's theoretical potential of 392GW for offshore wind power.
Discussions are underway in Japan regarding the contracted capacity for offshore wind by 2040, with possibilities ranging from as little as 30GW to as much as 45GW.
“Japan is falling behind in the pursuit of decarbonized electricity,” stated Dave Jones, the head of data insights at Ember. He further emphasized the significant disparity in offshore wind ambition between Japan and the other G7 nations.
Ember's data analysis reveals that Japan lags behind other G7 countries in terms of clean power share, standing at 29%, while having the highest share of coal at 33%. As a result, Japan possesses the most carbon-intensive electricity among G7 nations.
Recent reports, such as the one from Lawrence Berkeley Lab, suggest that Japan has the potential to achieve up to 90% decarbonized electricity by 2035 through substantial deployment of renewables. Ember's findings indicate that this scenario can only be realized if Japan effectively harnesses offshore wind and intensifies its clean power aspirations.
In 2022, wind power accounted for a mere 1% of Japan's electricity generation. In contrast, wind power contributed to 11% of the total electricity production in the rest of the G7 countries. The United States achieved 10% of electricity generation from wind, while the United Kingdom reached approximately 25% in 2022.
