Japan to build floating, offshore wind turbines

New York Times : To satisfy the country’s ever-growing need for power, particularly in the wake of its nuclear problems after the Fukushima disaster, Japan is turning to wind power. The plan is to float as many as 140 turbines on giant platforms as far as 320 km offshore by 2020. The first three are currently being financed by the Japanese government at a cost of ¥22 billion ($226 million), with the first to be turned on next month. Together, the islands that make up Japan have more coastline than the US and millions of square kilometers of potential turbine sites. As beneficial as wind power could prove, however, several issues need to be considered, including the impact on current fishing zones and shipping lanes and whether the power generated will outweigh the costs of siting the structures so far from shore and transmitting the power back.