While the humanitarian crisis and nuclear emergency unfold in Japan, an interesting observation has arisen from the devastation: Japanese wind farms have rebuffed critics, by withstanding both the tsunami and earthquake to continue delivering electricity to the tragedy-struck nation.
Kelly Rigg, executive director of Global Campaign for Climate Action (GCCA) and writing for The Huffington Post, has been in conversation with Yoshinori Ueda, leader of the International Committee of the Japan Wind Power Association & Japan Wind Energy Association.
He reports that his members have reported no damage, and even the Kamisu semi-offshore wind farm, 300km from the epicenter of the quake, has survived – due to its anti-quake ‘battle proof’ design. Wind has now become a major electricity source for Japan, with demand increased to supplement shortages from other sources.
She writes:
Mr. Ueda confirms that most Japanese wind turbines are fully operational. Indeed, he says that electric companies have asked wind farm owners to step up operations as much as possible in order to make up for shortages in the eastern part of the country:
Eurus Energy Japan says that 174.9MW with eight wind farms (64 per cent of their total capacity with 11 wind farms in eastern part of Japan) are in operation now. The residual three wind farms (Kamaishi 42.9MW, Takinekoshirai 46MW, Satomi 10.02MW) are stopped due to the grid failure caused by the earthquake and tsunami. Satomi is to re-start operations in a few days. Kamaishi is notorious for tsunami disaster, but this wind farm is safe because it is located in the mountains about 900m high from sea level.
The largest wind farm operator in Japan, Eurus Energy who own about 22 per cent of all wind turbines in Japan, is a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Company (Tepco) who operate the Fukushima nuclear facility.
Rigg also notices a poignant shift towards an increased value in wind farms in Japan, resulting from their continued functioning in these difficult times:
While shares in the Tokyo stock market have fallen during the crisis, the stock price of Japan Wind Development Co. Ltd. has risen from 31,500 yen on 11 March to 47,800 yen on 16 March.
The situation in Japan is a shocking human tragedy, and therefore global focus must be on saving lives and supporting the Japanese people.
But, while climate change means an increased risk of extreme weather worldwide, this insight into wind energy’s resilience in the face of even the most volatile conditions is welcome news.
