"Floating Axis Wind Turbine (FAWT)" Small-Scale Prototype Installed Offshore - Starting next-generation floating wind turbine offshore demonstration to realize low-cost, domestically produced offshore wind power -

A consortium consisting of six companies—Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc., Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., and Albatross Technology Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the "FAWT Consortium"), hereby announces that it has installed a small-scale prototype of the "Floating Axis Wind Turbine" (FAWT), which is a low-cost, domestically produced, next-generation floating wind turbine, in the demonstration sea area off Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and has begun offshore demonstrations.

Floating Axis Wind Turbine (FAWT) small-scale prototype (wind turbine diameter 9.3m)

Floating Axis Wind Turbine (FAWT) small-scale prototype onshore test

Overview of the Demonstration

• Demonstration Period
  For one year starting July 2, 2026 (planned)
• Demonstration Items
  Inside the bay of Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
• Demonstration Details
  The prototype has a structure that combines a vertical-axis wind turbine consisting of three straight blades with a cylindrical floating body; the rotor diameter is 9.3m, the floating body diameter is 1.7m, and the maximum output is 20kW. Positioning is maintained by a three-point mooring system connected to seabed anchors.
  In this demonstration, we will verify the technical feasibility of the system in an actual sea area, based on the knowledge obtained from numerical analysis, water tank tests, and onshore tests conducted to date.
  After the demonstration is completed, the prototype will be removed, and the condition of each component will be inspected and analyzed to identify challenges for long-term operation. These findings will be utilized to advance the design for future larger-scale models.

Features of FAWT

As expectations for offshore wind power grow in the push to make renewable energy a primary power source, the expansion of floating offshore wind turbines, which is applicable to deep-sea areas, is considered essential in Japan due to the limited availability of shallow waters. On the other hand, floating offshore wind power systems using conventional horizontal-axis wind turbines are facing the challenge of rising costs due to the increasing size of floats and mooring structures.
To address these challenges, FAWT is being developed as a technology that aims to achieve significant cost reductions and domestic production of offshore wind power generation by simplifying the structure and lowering the center of gravity, based on a rational design philosophy for marine structures.

Future Outlook

Building on the results of this demonstration study and the fundamental research being conducted in parallel for large-scale turbines, we will move toward the development of a megawatt-class demonstration turbine with the goal of future commercialization.
We will jointly develop this floating axis wind turbine, which is expected to be a game-changer for floating offshore wind power, by leveraging the expertise held by each company. Through this development, we aim to make offshore wind power a primary power source and contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.

FAWT Consortium Participating Companies

1. Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., (Tokyo, Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer: Hideaki Kato)
2. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc., (Tokyo, President and Representative Executive Officer: Tomoaki Kobayakawa)
3. Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., (Aichi,　 President & Director: Kingo Hayashi)
4. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., (Tokyo, Director, Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO: Takenori Igarashi)
5. Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., (Tokyo, Representative Director, President and CEO: Toshiro Watanabe)
6. Albatross Technology Inc. (Tokyo, Representative Director: Hiromichi Akimoto)