Floating Wind Power In Fukushima

Japan will join the race to develop floating wind turbines to use in deepwater off its tsunami-stricken northern Pacific coast as it rethinks energy sources after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

In the next five years, Japan plans to spend 10 to 20 billion yen to install six or more floating turbines off the northeast coast. It will work with firms including machinery maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries , Sato said.

Globally, Norway leads the way on floating turbines with a 2009 pilot project while other countries including Britain and Portugal have studied the technology.

Japan is compiling a third emergency budget likely to be more than 10 trillion yen to rebuild its northeastern coast after the earthquake and tsunami hit in March, leaving 20,000 dead or missing and triggering the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Japan, one of the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters, has been studying whether it can install conventional offshore wind turbines in an effort to cut its carbon emissions but thinks floated turbines could suit its waters better.