
On December 2, 2024, the GPSS Group company Japan Wind-Power Service submitted a planning stage “document on primary environmental impact consideration” for an up to 240MW onshore wind project in Hokkaido.
According to the submitted document, the “Hiyama Onshore Wind Farm” project would consist of 30 to 40 turbines, each between 4.2MW and 6.1MW, spread across an approximately 3,800ha area on the border of Kaminokuni and Matsumae towns. While to specific timeline was given for the project, Japan Wind-Power Service estimates it would take three years from beginning construction until completion.
There are currently three operational projects in the vicinity including J-Wind’s 28MW Kaminokuni Wind Farm, J-Wind Kaminokuni’s 42MW Kaminokuni No. 2 Wind Farm, and Tokyu Land and Japan Wind Development’s 48MW ReENE Matsumae Wind Farm commissioned in March 2014, May 2024, and April 2019, respectively.
Multiple other wind projects, both onshore and offshore, are under development in the area as well. Among others, Hokkaido Electric Power submitted a primary environmental impact consideration document for an up to 1.14GW and Kansai Electric Power and RWE for an up to 1.68GW offshore wind power plant earlier this month.
Earlier this year, in July, Japan Wind-Power Service also started the environmental impact assessment process for an up to 130MW onshore wind project spanning Hokkaido’s Shimamaki Village, Suttsu Town, and Kuromatsunai Town. For both projects, the next step is submitting environmental impact assessment methodology followed by the actual environmental impact assessment.