Japan’s largest offshore wind farm begins commercial operation in Kitakyushu

Japan’s largest offshore wind power facility has officially begun commercial operations. The 220 MW Kitakyushu Hibikinada Offshore Wind Farm, located in the Hibikinada Sea off the coast of Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture, entered service on 2 March 2026.

The project consists of 25 offshore wind turbines, each with a generation capacity of 9.6 MW, delivering a combined installed capacity of 220 MW. The turbines are Vestas V174-9.6 MW units, with the final turbine installed in autumn 2025.

The wind farm was awarded through a public tender issued by the City of Kitakyushu in February 2017. Development is carried out by a consortium that includes J-POWER (Electric Power Development Co., Ltd.), Kyuden Mirai Energy, Kyuden Corporation, Hokutaku Renewable Energy Service and Saibu Gas. Following the award, the partners established a special purpose company, Hibiki Wind Energy Co., Ltd., to develop and operate the facility.

Construction of the offshore project began in March 2023 after preliminary site surveys and preparation activities. Marine civil engineering works and turbine foundation construction were carried out by Penta-Ocean Construction, while turbine supply was provided by Vestas.

The facility is expected to operate for approximately 20 years, contributing renewable electricity to the national grid and supporting Japan’s long-term decarbonisation targets.

According to J-POWER, the project forms part of the company’s “BLUE MISSION 2050” strategy, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality through expansion of renewable energy and stable operation of low-carbon power infrastructure.