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In 2023, the share of wind power in the total energy generation in Japan amounted to *** percent. The figure increased continuously from **** percent in 2014, although the growth was rather sluggish, making wind energy the lowest contributor to the renewable energy mix in the country.

Wind energy in Japan

Japan has an estimated offshore wind capacity of around 550 gigawatts, especially in the north of the island nation. The northern prefectures Hokkaido and Aomori are currently the areas with the largest number of wind farms. The wind farms in those areas are also the largest in the country based on capacity.Ìý
To reach its goal of installing 30 to 40 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2040, the Japanese government aims at attracting investors for the development of new wind farms. However, wind farm construction projects by major players, such as Mitsubishi Corporation, face delays due to rising costs and global supply chain issues.

Renewable energy in Japan

The overall share of renewables in electricity production in Japan recently increased to close to 23 percent. Solar energy represents the most productive renewable energy source in Japan and has the highest number of electric power plants. Since there is limited space on the mountainous islands, Japan was one of the first countries to use floating solar panels. The new trend caught the attention of both domestic and foreign investors, which will likely lead to the expansion of the sector in the future. However, fossil fuels remain the largest energy source in electricity production, making Japan highly dependent on energy imports and keeping electricity prices up.