JFE Engineering Completes Japan's First Domestically Made Offshore Wind Monopile
Key Takeaways
- •JFE Engineering completed Japan's first domestically manufactured monopile for a commercial offshore wind project at its Kasaoka plant, marking the milestone on August 26.
- •The first monopile measures about 80 metres long, up to 11 metres in diameter, and weighs around 2,000 tonnes.
- •JFE is contracted by Kajima to manufacture and transport 21 monopiles and transition pieces, requiring around 43,000 tonnes of steel, with deliveries running through March 2027.
- •The 315 MW Oga-Katagami-Akita wind farm is developed by a consortium of JERA Nex bp Japan, J-Power, Tohoku Electric Power, and Itochu, and will use 21 Vestas 15 MW-class turbines.
- •JFE's Kasaoka factory, commissioned in 2024, is Japan's only domestic monopile manufacturing base with annual capacity of about 50 large monopiles.
JFE Engineering has completed what it describes as Japan's first domestically manufactured monopile for a commercial offshore wind development, rolling out the first foundation for the 315 MW Oga-Katagami-Akita project.
The foundation was finished at JFE's Kasaoka monopile plant in Okayama prefecture, with the company marking the milestone on August 26. The first unit measures about 80 metres in length, up to 11 metres in diameter, and weighs around 2,000 tonnes. The milestone is a step toward building a domestic supply chain for foundations in Japan, where developers have otherwise depended on overseas fabrication for the large steel structures used in bottom-fixed offshore wind.
JFE is working under a contract from Kajima covering the manufacture and transport of 21 monopiles and transition pieces. Production and deliveries are scheduled to run through March 2027, with the package requiring around 43,000 tonnes of steel.
The offshore wind farm is being developed by a consortium comprising JERA Nex bp Japan, J-Power, Tohoku Electric Power, and Itochu. It will feature 21 Vestas 15 MW-class turbines. The Oga-Katagami-Akita development, sited off Akita prefecture in northern Japan, is among the projects advanced under Japan's round of commercial offshore wind leasing carried out through public auctions, a process the government has used to build out its offshore wind sector.
In May, Belgian marine contractor DEME, through Japan Offshore Marine and alongside Penta-Ocean Construction, secured the turbine installation work, with the Sea Challenger due to carry out offshore installation in the second half of 2027. Splash has also reported on NYK's crew transfer vessel (CTV) contract for the same development.
JFE commissioned its Kasaoka factory in 2024 and describes it as Japan's only domestic monopile manufacturing base. The facility has capacity to produce around 50 large monopiles a year, output that could serve further foundation packages as additional Japanese offshore wind projects move toward construction.
