SSE Pacifico and its consortium partners have secured public funding for a 30MW floating offshore wind demonstration project offshore Akita Prefecture, Japan.

The project, which will be situated in waters up to 400m deep, will be one of the deepest offshore wind developments globally.

SSE Pacifico president Dai Karasawa stated: “We’re delighted our consortium has been successful in the GIF auction in Japan.

“This demonstration project will play a critical role in enhancing real-world knowledge about deploying floating wind at such depths, not only in Japan but globally.

“It further enhances SSE’s standing in floating wind technology and builds on our strong collaboration with Marubeni on the Ossian floating wind project in the UK.”

The consortium, which includes SSE Pacifico with an 80% stake and Marubeni among other partners, plans to develop two 15MW demonstrator offshore wind turbines on semi-submersible floating foundations.

The financial support is part of the Green Innovation Fund (GIF), initiated by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and managed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization.

The consortium's proposal was one of two selected through a competitive process under the GIF.

It will focus on advancing the project, which, if constructed, could significantly contribute to the growth of floating offshore wind in Japan and other deep-sea regions.

The consortium's research will concentrate on optimising business development, engineering, procurement, construction and installation, and operations and maintenance processes.

The goal is to demonstrate the potential for mass production and cost reduction in floating offshore wind power generation within the Japanese market.