Nippon Steel to Provide High Performance Steel for Float Wind Firm Test

Nippon Steel announced on Tuesday the firm participates in experimental offshore floating wind farm project sponsored by Ministry Economy, Trade and Industry. The firm provides solution with advanced steel products in order to realize lower cost for construction and maintenance of the floating wind farm off the coast of Fukushima built in 2013. The project is to check safety, reliability and feasibility. Based on the data and knowhow, the project develops technology for international applications.

Marubeni Corporation leads the project. University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI Marine United, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Hitachi, Furukawa Electric, Shimizu and Mizuho Information & Research participate in the project.

The project is to build 3 floating wind firms and a substation on ocean with around 120 meters of depth at around 22 kilometers away from Fukushima. The first phase of the project is to build a 2 mega watt wind turbine and the world first 66 kilovolt floating power substation along with undersea cable for 12.5 billion yen in 2012. The second phase is to build 2 of 7 mega watt wind turbines by 2015.

Nippon Steel provides around 20,000 tonnes of steel products for the first and second phases. The firm provides 50 millimeters thick specialized high tensile steel with high performance weldability for floating parts, which is the first application for the parts. The firm also provides technology to improve fatigue property of welded joint, which is the first application in wind power generation. The firm also supplies high tensile steel bar with 700-900 mega pascal for the anchorage through cooperation with Nippon Steel Engineering and Hamanaka Chain Mfg. while Nippon Steel supplies stainless steel for corrosion resistant part through cooperation with Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel (NSSC).