ABOUT
About
Greeting
Renewable energy is expected to become a key of power in the future and, among the candidates, offshore wind power is thought to be a key solution. The 7th Strategic Energy Plan approved by the Japanese Cabinet in February 2025, the government sets a target to increase the proportion of wind power in the total power supply from 1 % (the current) to 4–8 % by 2040. Specifically, for offshore wind power, it has set numerical targets of 10 GW by 2030 and 30–45 GW by 2040. Consequently, to promote primarily bottom-fixed offshore wind power in territorial waters, Act on Promoting the Utilization of Sea Areas for the Development of Marine Renewable Energy Power Generation Facilities was put into effect in April 2019. This act aims to realize long-term, stable, and efficient power generation operations, to ensure harmony with the diverse uses of the ocean, to ensure fairness, impartiality, and transparency and to promote the systematic and continuous introduction of renewable energy.
Meanwhile, the revision of this act was also put in force in June 2025, to enact to allow offshore wind power to operate within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Since water depths in the EEZ exceed 50 meters, floating offshore wind power needed to be used, instead of bottom-fixed types. Around the same time, in July 2025, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) set a target of 15 GW of floating offshore wind power by 2040 (in addition, 30 GW for overseas projects). If the components (unfortunately, other than wind turbines) are sourced domestically, it would give rise to a massive industry, which would be worth several trillion yen in total across the entire supply chain and generate annual electricity sales of several trillion yen. Consequently, to contribute to the large-scale commercialization of floating offshore wind power and the creation of domestic industries, industries have organized the “Floating Offshore Wind Technology Research Association” (FLOWRA, a consortium of power generation companies), and the “Floating Offshore Wind Construction System Technology Research Association” (FLOWCON, a consortium of mainly the construction companies), and tackle those technical challenges.
In this context, I believe it is the University of Tokyo's responsibility to be involved in the creation of this major industry. For the industry, collaborating with us to address challenges such as developing technologies to maximize power generation efficiency for the motion of floating structures in waves, developing materials for cost reduction, efficient maintenance technologies, digital twins of floating structures and wind turbines under severe meteorological and oceanographic conditions, monitoring using floating structures to contribute to offshore fisheries, and bridging international cooperation will be of great benefit.
However, the development and operation of floating offshore wind power is a complex field involving various academic disciplines, and industries seeking collaboration with the university will likely need to go beyond a single research lab. Therefore, the University of Tokyo has created a large consortium bringing together researchers involved in floating offshore wind power, establishing a collaborative research organization to serve as a point of contact for the industry and cooperate in solving challenges through industry-academia collaboration. We sincerely hope that this collaborative research organization will become a breeding ground for interdisciplinary collaboration, where diverse and complex challenges from industry are brought in, and faculty members from various departments gather to solve them, thereby producing talented individuals who have honed their skills in such an environment and contributing to society.
Renewable energy is expected to become a key of power in the future and, among the candidates, offshore wind power is thought to be a key solution. The 7th Strategic Energy Plan approved by the Japanese Cabinet in February 2025, the government sets a target to increase the proportion of wind power in the total power supply from 1 % (the current) to 4–8 % by 2040. Specifically, for offshore wind power, it has set numerical targets of 10 GW by 2030 and 30–45 GW by 2040. Consequently, to promote primarily bottom-fixed offshore wind power in territorial waters, Act on Promoting the Utilization of Sea Areas for the Development of Marine Renewable Energy Power Generation Facilities was put into effect in April 2019. This act aims to realize long-term, stable, and efficient power generation operations, to ensure harmony with the diverse uses of the ocean, to ensure fairness, impartiality, and transparency and to promote the systematic and continuous introduction of renewable energy.
Meanwhile, the revision of this act was also put in force in June 2025, to enact to allow offshore wind power to operate within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Since water depths in the EEZ exceed 50 meters, floating offshore wind power needed to be used, instead of bottom-fixed types. Around the same time, in July 2025, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) set a target of 15 GW of floating offshore wind power by 2040 (in addition, 30 GW for overseas projects). If the components (unfortunately, other than wind turbines) are sourced domestically, it would give rise to a massive industry, which would be worth several trillion yen in total across the entire supply chain and generate annual electricity sales of several trillion yen. Consequently, to contribute to the large-scale commercialization of floating offshore wind power and the creation of domestic industries, industries have organized the “Floating Offshore Wind Technology Research Association” (FLOWRA, a consortium of power generation companies), and the “Floating Offshore Wind Construction System Technology Research Association” (FLOWCON, a consortium of mainly the construction companies), and tackle those technical challenges.
In this context, I believe it is the University of Tokyo's responsibility to be involved in the creation of this major industry. For the industry, collaborating with us to address challenges such as developing technologies to maximize power generation efficiency for the motion of floating structures in waves, developing materials for cost reduction, efficient maintenance technologies, digital twins of floating structures and wind turbines under severe meteorological and oceanographic conditions, monitoring using floating structures to contribute to offshore fisheries, and bridging international cooperation will be of great benefit.
However, the development and operation of floating offshore wind power is a complex field involving various academic disciplines, and industries seeking collaboration with the university will likely need to go beyond a single research lab. Therefore, the University of Tokyo has created a large consortium bringing together researchers involved in floating offshore wind power, establishing a collaborative research organization to serve as a point of contact for the industry and cooperate in solving challenges through industry-academia collaboration. We sincerely hope that this collaborative research organization will become a breeding ground for interdisciplinary collaboration, where diverse and complex challenges from industry are brought in, and faculty members from various departments gather to solve them, thereby producing talented individuals who have honed their skills in such an environment and contributing to society.
Director of UTokyo International Collaborative Research Organization on Floating Offshore Wind Energy and Related Technologies
Professor
Toru Sato
About
Offshore wind power is expected to be a crucial solution for renewable energy, which is essential in achieving a carbon-neutral society. The 7th Basic Energy Plan, approved by the Japanese Cabinet in February 2025, states that the goal is to develop 10 GW by 2030 and 30–45 GW by 2040 (ignoring differences in energy conversion efficiency, 1 GW is equivalent to the capacity of a single large-scale nuclear power plant). In Japan, where there are few shallow coastal waters suitable for bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines, the development and deployment of floating offshore wind turbines are key and, in addition, it must be capable of operating reliably for over 20 years, even under severe wind and sea conditions caused by typhoons and other weather events. The global community is currently engaged in a race to develop floating offshore wind power, but, in Japan, the lack of a specialized research institution dedicated to this field has been a major bottleneck.
At the University of Tokyo, researchers spread across various departments have been independently conducting world-class research and development in fields such as wind power generation, floating structure engineering, power and grid systems, port, ship, and ocean engineering, ICT (Information and Communication Technology), HPC (High Performance Computing), and marine and energy policy, but such individual efforts are not enough.
A collaborative research organization, namely, UTokyo International Collaborative Research Organization on Floating Offshore Wind Energy and Related Technologies (UT-FloWIND) brings together comprehensive knowledge from across the university, transcending the boundaries of existing departments, to realize floating offshore wind power generation and to operate large-scale floating offshore wind power on a large scale at reasonable costs and maintain stable operations for over 20 years, as one of the main power sources supporting a carbon-neutral society. And UT-FloWIND deepens and accelerates research and development in floating offshore wind energy and related technologies, leads the way in this field through collaboration and cooperation with the government, industry, and society, as well as partnerships with overseas research institutions, and contributes to the realization of a carbon-neutral and resilient society. Furthermore, UT-FloWIND promote research and development aimed at realizing a floating offshore wind power generation system (the “Japan Model”) capable of operating efficiently, stably, and for extended periods under the harsh wind and sea conditions prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region, where typhoons and other severe weather events frequently occur and through these research efforts, UT-FloWIND cultivates highly skilled professionals capable of leading academia, government, industry, and international projects in this field.
Purpose
This UT-FloWIND brings together researchers, spread across various departments, from a wide range of academic disciplines (Wind power generation, floating structure engineering, power and grid systems, port, ship, and marine engineering, ICT (Information and Communication Technology), HPC (High Performance Computing), marine policy, energy policy, etc.) and, consequently, deepens and accelerates research and development in floating offshore wind energy and related technologies. By collaborating with the Japanese government, industry, society, and overseas research institutions, UT-FloWIND leads the way in this field and contribute to society. Specifically, we aim to develop a floating offshore wind power generation system (the “Japan Model”) capable of operating efficiently, stably, and for extended periods even under the harsh wind and sea conditions typical of the Asia-Pacific region. Collaterally, UT-FloWIND seeks comprehensive solutions from atmosphere and oceans, fisheries, coexistence with local communities, and environmental impact assessments and the perspectives of maritime and energy policy. And UT-FloWIND cultivates highly skilled professionals capable of leading academia, government, industry, and international projects in this field both domestically and internationally.
Period
October/1st/2025–March/31st/2035
Purpose
1.
Promoting comprehensive research on floating offshore wind energy and related technologies
2.
Realizing a floating offshore wind power generation system (the “Japan Model”) capable of operating efficiently, stably, and for extended periods even under the harsh wind and sea conditions typical of the Asia-Pacific region