From Chisato Horiuchi in Tokyo, Japan
Business opportunities are coming to small and medium-sized enterprises with roots in local industries such as blacksmithing and shipbuilding over "floating" offshore wind turbines that float wind turbines in the sea. Floating technology development is indispensable in Japan, where the surrounding sea area is deep. There are also movements to expand facilities and develop new products among companies with unique technologies.
A chain factory of Hamanaka Chain Industry (Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture). The steel bars heated in the furnace until they turn bright red are bent into an elliptical shape by a machine. At the moment when both ends of a steel bar, which is as thick as an adult's thigh, touch, a tremendous "cracking" sound was heard and sparks were scattered.
The factory is located in Shirahama-cho on the coast of Himeji City. In the same area, the blacksmithing technology for nail manufacturing developed along with the construction of Himeji Castle during the Edo period, and it is now a major chain producing area with a 70% share of the domestic market. Hamanaka Chain Industry is the only company in Japan to manufacture a large chain that connects offshore structures such as offshore oil field drilling facilities to the seabed. There are only a few large chain manufacturers in the world, such as China and Spain.
Hamanaka Chain Industry (Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture), which manufactures one of the largest chains in Japan
The company's mooring chain was adopted for a floating wind power generation facility installed off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Marubeni in 2013. Around 2011, new equipment will be installed to increase manufacturing capacity. The floating type has a weight of 2000 tons per unit, so if it is located in the sea near Japan, it is more advantageous than overseas in terms of transportation costs. Mr. Makoto Kawada, who is in charge, is enthusiastic that he wants to differentiate himself from the competition, including high quality.
Yoshida-gumi (same), which handles offshore civil engineering work such as seawalls and undersea tunnels, has been in charge of all floating facilities installed in Japan, such as off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. Its strength is that it can significantly reduce construction costs by completing everything from assembly to installation and removal of wind turbines at sea using a hoisting vessel that carries cranes and a pontoon that carries facilities.
He was involved in the runway expansion project at Haneda Airport, which started in 2007, and honed his skills to move objects by a few centimeters on a crane vessel. The company will place floating-related construction as the next pillar of its business. In 2018, we will increase the number of dedicated ships for floating type, such as building a semi-submersible type carrier "FLOAT RAISER" in collaboration with Toda Corporation. "The floating type will not spread unless the cost is reduced. There is a large part that can be contributed by technology," said Keisuke Edamitsu.
Kiyomoto Iron Works (Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture), which boasts the world's largest manufacturing record of anchors
For large anchors that fix the chain to the seabed, Kiyomoto Iron Works (Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture), a cast steel manufacturer that mainly manufactures anchors for ships, is developing a new product. Currently, in collaboration with researchers from Saga Prefecture and Tokyokaiyo University, we are developing a new type of anchor for floating type that has a strong ability to hold it together. We are also considering manufacturing related parts such as large cast steel products.
In addition, as for electrical equipment, Risho Kogyo (Osaka City), which manufactures transformers, and Ishibashi Seisakusho (Nogata City, Fukuoka Prefecture), which manufactures speed-increasing machines for wind turbines, have installed equipment that is resistant to tilt and vibration, assuming sea shaking. We are developing.
In the floating type, Toda Corporation is operating a power plant off the coast of Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and Hitachi Zosen and Marubeni are operating power plants in Kitakyushu City. While large companies are in charge of managing the business, there are a wide variety of parts suppliers, so there are more opportunities for small and medium-sized companies to enter the market.
Target ratio of domestic procurement 60% in 40 years, the key to competition with overseas players
The "Offshore Wind Industry Vision (1st)" formulated by the public and private sectors in December 2020 has set an introduction target value of 30 to 45 million kW by 1940, and domestic procurement of parts for industrial development. It also set a target of 60% in 40 years. Atsushi Sasaki, a researcher at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), said, "It can be a big business opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises in various regions with technology."
The biggest hurdle for widespread use is the cost, which is about twice that of the landing type. Competition with overseas players is inevitable, such as Europe, where the development of related industries is preceded by the development of offshore oil fields, and China, where manufacturing costs are low. How competitive can SMEs in each region be? With increasing attention to domestic procurement from the perspective of economic security, the capabilities of local industries are being questioned.
