Company expanding its Ishikari data center in Hokkaido to accommodate new hardware Japanese data center and cloud company Sakura Internet is looking to procure tens of thousands of GPUs As reported by Bloomberg the Osaka-based company is in discussions to buy some 10,000 Nvidia GPUs annually to meet growing demand “We need some 50,000 to 100,000 Nvidia GPUs to comfortably handle the demand we see today,” he said in an interview “We would need a million GPUs 10 years from now if demand rises at the current pace.” The company operates a large data center campus in Ishikari the 50,000 sqm site will be able to host 6,800 racks across five buildings The first two buildings were completed in 2011 The company also operates faculties in Tokyo (Higashi-Shinjuku a data center and cloud services unit founded in 2017 alongside IT firm Terilogy Holdings Bloomberg noted the company is building another data center on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido that expected to house around 10,800 Nvidia GPUs when it goes online by 2027 Sakura Internet has been providing GPU resource services since 2016 it launched a generative AI cloud service based on GPUs called High Firepower the company announced it has completed a project to install approximately 2,000 Nvidia H100 Tensor Core GPUs at its Ishikari facility and planned to deploy 8,000 more by the end of December 2027 Last month it said it would deploy an additional 800 H100s by December ahead of that tranche of 8,000 – as well as a further 40 GPUs this month To accommodate the deployment of GPUs at the site Sakura said over the summer that it would invest in two container-type data centers for the Ishikari site The first will be delivered by November 2025 Sakura also announced it would roll out its GPU cloud to Equinix’s IBX data centers in Japan and across Asia Equinix has four facilities in Osaka and 14 in Tokyo Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. Learn more. Full construction begins on Ishikari Offshore Wind with first installation of an 8 MW offshore wind turbine in Japan 2022 – Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Energy) and its affiliate in Japan announced it has completed financing and begun full construction of its 112 megawatt (MW) Ishikari Offshore Wind project located approximately three kilometers from the shore of the Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido Ishikari Wind will feature a battery storage component with 100 MW x 180 MWh of capacity The financing facility was jointly arranged by MUFG Bank “This historic project is Japan’s largest combined offshore wind and power storage facility and the first installation of an 8 MW offshore wind turbine in the country,” said Mike Garland we have built an in-house team of leading experts in onshore and offshore wind and the Ishikari project is the culmination of more than 15 years of planning The group of leading financial institutions that is backing this project demonstrates the strong demand for innovative clean power solutions We look forward to successfully completing construction of this project and bringing a new source of clean and renewable energy to Japan powered by the strong winds of Ishikari Bay.” “We would like to thank Ishikari city and all the people concerned for their great cooperation in promoting this project,” said Mitsuru Sakaki “We will proceed with construction work while being considerate of the environment It is an honor to promote the creation of clean energy in a manner that protects the cultural values of the region and enhances critical infrastructure of the country.” and accompanying battery storage component is expected to reach commercial operation in December of 2023 The project has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Hokkaido Electric Power Network Pattern Energy’s Ishikari Wind project under construction in Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido Ishikari Offshore Wind will utilize 14 Siemens Gamesa 8.0 MW wind turbines which are built specifically for offshore use The SG 8.0-167 DD offshore turbine is designed to meet local codes and standards regarding typhoons as well as operation in high and low ambient temperatures The turbines and its supporting structure (pile foundation jacket and tower) received ClassNK certification confirming it meets the stringent technical standards required by the Japanese government to approve construction “We look forward to working with Pattern Energy on this excellent opportunity to bring more clean renewable power into Japan’s energy mix,” says Marc Becker CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit we look forward to providing the numerous economic- and environmental benefits of offshore wind power to everyone involved with the project.” Battery storage at the Ishikari Wind project will provide 100 MW x 180 MWh of capacity With the addition of Ishikari Offshore Wind Pattern Energy has eight renewable energy facilities in Japan either operating or under construction including three onshore wind power facilities and two solar power facilities in operation and three wind power facilities under construction Green Power Investment Corporation (GPI) is a Japanese developer owner and operator of renewable energy assets was one of the earliest pioneers in renewable energy having built some of the first large scale wind power projects in Japan GPI is headquartered in Tokyo and has a team of more than 150 professionals covering all areas of expertise necessary to operate and manage a full-scale renewable energy business GPI’s development portfolio totals more than 4 gigawatts of wind capacity including approximately 1.4 GW MW of wind projects that have FiT certifications Pattern Energy holds a majority interest in GPI Pattern Energy is one of the world’s largest privately-owned developers and operators of wind Its operational portfolio includes 35 renewable energy facilities that use proven best-in-class technology with an operating capacity of nearly 6,000 MW in the United States Pattern Energy is guided by a long-term commitment to serve customers [email protected] 2024 – Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Energy) Broughton Wind is a 50/50 joint venture partnership with a coalition of community and First Nations.. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" SAPPORO — An employee was taken to the hospital after an exlosion occurred at a biomass power plant in Ishikari accoding to the local fire department and its operating company please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent The biomass power plant is operated by Ishikari Bio Energy Godo Kaisha The fire department received the report around 9:30 a.m They said that the explosion occurred in a building on the premises where biomass fuel is brought in It is said the employee taken to the hospital suffered burns on his hands but was conscious when being transported Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun JERA and Green Power Investment Corporation held an inauguration ceremony for the Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind farm in Hokkaido which they own through a special-purpose corporation the largest commercial offshore wind farm in Japan began commercial operations at the beginning of this year The construction of offshore wind project began in October 2022 after the project’s developers completed financing The onshore construction was carried out by Kajima Corporation and the offshore construction by a joint venture between Shimizu Corporation and Nippon Steel Engineering In December 2022, CAPE Holland revealed that 56 pin piles were installed at the construction site located approximately three kilometres from the shore of Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido The Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind farm features 14 Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbines as well as a battery storage component with 100 MW x 180 MWh of capacity Ishikari Bay New Port has a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Hokkaido Electric Power Network (HEPN) for 100 per cent of the power output The renewable energy is being routed through a project substation and then through HEPN’s Nishi Sapporo substation the wind project will power homes and communities across Hokkaido and beyond Get in front of your target audience in one move OffshoreWIND.biz is read by thousands of offshore wind professionals daily Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox renewable energy is key to the future of our planet we have over 60 years’ experience and an in-depth understanding of the power and temperature control needs of wind farms We have a dedicated Wind Energy Team whose innovative strategies […] You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience (GPI) began operations at the Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind farm – the largest commercial wind farm in Japan and the first in Japan to adopt large 8000 kW wind turbines – which they own through Green Power Ishikari GK Located in Hokkaido’s Ishikari Bay New Port the wind farm has installed 14 wind turbines manufactured by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy that each have an output of 8000 kW for a total output of 112 000 kW Onshore construction was carried out by Kajima Corp and offshore construction by a joint venture between Shimizu Corp All electricity generated will be supplied to Hokkaido Electric Power Network (HEPN) after being routed through a project transformer substation with 180 000 kWh of battery storage capacity – a distinguishing feature of the wind farm – and then through HEPN’s Nishi Sapporo Substation Bringing the project to completion was possible because of the tremendous cooperation and understanding extended by regional communities and government administrations including Hokkaido Prefecture and Otaru City during the project’s development and construction The Winter 2023 issue of Energy Global hosts an array of technical articles weather analysis This issue also features a regional report looking at the future of renewables in North America and a report from Théodore Reed-Martin on how Iceland utilises its unique geology for renewable energy Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/05012024/jera-launches-commercial-operations-at-ishikari-bay-new-port-offshore-wind-farm/ Repono and suena energy have joined forces to optimise the revenues of large scale battery storage in Germany Embed article link: (copy the HTML code below): Already a member? Sign in here Ishikari Lowland in Japan was converted to farmland beginning 150 years ago and an analysis suggests it has experienced a 70 per cent drop in bird numbers since then By Christa Lesté-Lasserre Ishikari plain and Ishikari river on Hokkaido Japan – a region that has lost many birds in 150 years More than 70 per cent of birds – and a similar proportion of bird species – have disappeared in a region of Japan once occupied by hunter-gatherers and converted into farmland only a century and a half ago “This is definitely globally relevant,” says Chase Mendenhall at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh “There’s a lot to be learned about how biodiversity responds bear and edible plants for approximately 15,000 years including systematic deforestation and wetland drainage only began in the region after the Japanese government stepped in the land is a mix of agricultural plots and housing developments representing a dramatic change in land cover in only 153 years Kitazawa’s previous research explored the way native Japanese birds seek habitats in abandoned lands and he wanted to know how they coped with the changes in Ishikari ‘How many wildlife species or individuals were there before broad-scale conversion to farmland scientists have lacked reliable data about the effects of agriculture on wildlife in the northern hemisphere because hunter-gatherer communities had vanished from many regions long before early researchers began documenting wildlife But Japan has kept “fine-scale” topological data on its territories since the 1850s – which covers the final years before Ishikari’s conversion to farmland explorers had already visited and described the region in published literary works Those explorers had described “dense forests” filled mainly with alders and Japanese elms and large wetlands marked by common reed and sedges Kitazawa and his colleagues divided the 8400-square-kilometre Ishikari Lowland region into 2-hectare plots and studied the land cover of each one through time using maps from 1850 having determined the changes in land cover of each plot they took advantage of their previously validated bird population model which generates data according to land cover type This allowed them to estimate the changes to the bird communities across the decades since the region’s hunter-gatherer days They estimate that oriental turtle doves (Streptopelia orientalis) great spotted woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major) Japanese tits (Parus minor) and other forest-dwelling birds have lost approximately 90 per cent of their populations in Ishikari since the change in land cover lanceolated warblers (Locustella lanceolata) reed buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus) and other species that thrive in wetlands experienced similar losses Although grassland species like Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and Stejneger’s stonechat (Saxicola stejnegeri) increased in numbers at the start of the agricultural shift in Ishikari they too were calculated to have declined by a net 68 per cent relative to their pre-agricultural numbers as the grasslands gave way to more croplands rice paddies and even urban housing developments in the 2000s Populations of birds that thrive on agricultural lands including carrion crows (Corvus corone) and Eurasian skylarks (Alauda arvensis) are estimated to have increased by an average of 50 per cent in the region that didn’t compensate for the total loss in abundance of birds in the region The calculations suggest the current bird abundance is less than a third of what it was prior to the switch to farming “I think the most surprising and the most important part [of this study] is just the sheer amount of nature that has been lost in terms of abundance,” says Mendenhall For Laura Kehoe at the University of Oxford it is “unique” to see “such an interesting case study” dealing with such a rare opportunity for data “We just don’t see this kind of story happening everywhere else because so many areas have been converted so long ago,” says Kehoe the study speaks to something that’s already quite clear “And that’s that industrial agriculture does not benefit the natural world.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0338 Sign up to Wild Wild Life a free monthly newsletter celebrating the diversity and science of animals plants and Earth’s other weird and wonderful inhabitants you can reduce the power consumption and CO2 emissions generated by the website's screen display The news on this website is as of the date announced and may change without notice Commercial operation of the Ishikari Bay New Port offshore windfarm was initiated on 1 January 2024 developed by JERA and Green Power Investment (GPI) is Japan’s largest commercial windfarm and the first in the country to use 8-MW wind turbines the windfarm has 14 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines and a capacity of 112 MW Onshore construction was carried out by Kajima Corp and offshore construction by a joint venture between Shimizu Corp and Nippon Steel Engineering All of the electricity generated at the windfarm will be supplied to Hokkaido Electric Power Network (HEPN) after being transmitted through a transformer substation with 180,000 kWh of battery storage capacity and then through HEPN’s Nishi Sapporo substation JERA and GPI said they are committed to further renewable energy projects in the region Otaru City and the authorities in the region Make your plans now to attend Offshore Wind Journal Conference 2024 in London 6 February 2024, click here to purchase tickets and attend this industry-leading event A new crew transfer vessel (CTV) for the Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind farm in Hokkaido Prefecture arrived in Japan from Singapore on April 19 The vessel is named “Rera As.” the vessel was delivered in Singapore and transported to Honmoku Pier in Yokohama port by Kifune a heavy-lift carrier operated by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd.  the crew transfer vessel was towed to the Oppama factory of Keihin Dock Co The vessel flag will then be changed to Japan after the ship is approved by a flag state.  the wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa will charter the vessel and the vessel will be managed by Hokkaido-based Hokuyo Kaiun Co to transport workers to the offshore wind power generation facility currently under construction at Ishikari Bay New Port All four companies — Yusen Logistics Co The NYK Group as a whole is contributing to further expansion into the offshore wind power generation business Belgium-based offshore installation services company DEME has completed the acquisition Havfram dedicated for work at the Greensand carbon capture and storage (CCS) project a consortium of Belgian marine construction companies DEME and Jan De Nul Jan De Nul has kicked off the installation campaign of the monopile foundations for RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm we excel in creating stunning illuminated yacht names and logos and cutting-edge LED and fiber optic solutions Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service delivered to your Email five times per week Japan: JERA and Green Power Investment Corporation have begun commercial operations at the 112 MW Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm in Japan The wind farm is located 3 km off Hokkaido and features 14 8 MW turbines made by Siemens Gamesa The partners own the Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm through special purpose company Green Power Ishikari GK Onshore construction was carried out by Kajima Corporation while offshore construction was done by a joint venture between Shimizu Corporation and Nippon Steel Engineering The electricity generated will be supplied to Hokkaido Electric Power Network (HEPN) after being routed through a project transformer substation which includes a 100 MW battery storage capacity and through HEPN’s Nishi Sapporo substation Pattern Energy concluded an agreement with JERA and NTT Anode Energy Corporation in May 2023 for the joint acquisition of Green Power Investment Corporation New electricity deal and planned gas pipeline aim to ease Syria’s energy crisis with 400 kV line and 6 million m3 of gas daily from Turkey Christian Bruch visits Baghdad to formalise agreement aimed at potentially adding 14 GW to Iraq’s energy capacity through infrastructure upgrades Xcel Energy will build a 280-km transmission line linking clean energy from southwest Minnesota to over 1 million homes across the Upper Midwest © 2013-2025 | All Rights Reserved MERIT MEDIA INT Ishikari Bay offshore wind farm features a combination of offshore wind power generation and energy storage The project was among the largest projects of this kind in Japan developed by Pattern Energy’s Green Power Investment (GPI) The sponsor had 8 domestic lenders joining the debt package as MLAs IT was one of the few industry-scale projects under the feed-in tariff scheme in parallel to the offshore wind auctions launched by the Japanese government The deal demonstrated stakeholder commitment to innovative clean power solutions and the country’s offshore wind sector The project has a 100MW wind capacity and a 180MWh energy storage capacity and is scheduled to commence operations by December (2023) Hokkaido Electric Power Network is the off-taker under a 20-year PPA for 100% of the power output The sponsor used wind turbines designed to meet local codes and standards regarding typhoons and operation in high and low ambient temperatures confirming its fulfillment of stringent technical standards required by the Japanese government to approve construction GPI is among the earlier pioneers in Japan’s renewable energy sector with a portfolio of more than 4GW of wind capacity The project adds to Pattern Energy projects pipeline in Japan – 3 onshore winds under construction Read Full Article » The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's new rule on regional transmission planning is a crucial step.. the 112 MW Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind farm in Japan began commercial operations which is owned by JERA and Green power Investment Corporation The construction of the Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm began in October 2022 after the project’s developers completed financing A few months later, CAPE Holland announced that 56 pin piles were installed at the offshore construction site located approximately three kilometres from the shore of Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido The Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm utilises 14 wind turbines manufactured by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy The SG 8.0-167 DD is built specifically for offshore use It is tailored to meet local codes and standards regarding typhoons Siemens Gamesa signed a charter agreement contract with Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) for a crew transfer vessel (CTV) that will be used to transport workers between the offshore work site facilities and the onshore maintenance base Shimizu Corporation inked a time charter contract with Mitsui O.S.K Line (MOL) for two CTVs for the 112 MW offshore wind project The Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Farm has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Hokkaido Electric Power Network (HEPN) for 100 per cent of the power output The renewable energy is being routed through a project substation and then through HEPN’s Nishi Sapporo substation The project also features a battery storage component with 100 MW x 180 MWh of capacity Leveraging 20 years of experience with offshore windDecember 2023 will forever mark a milestone in our company history as we became part of the world-wide CS WIND group The acquisition goes beyond a mere change in ownership; it marks a leap into a future where our combined strengths will pave the way for optimized production […] Japan’s largest commercial wind farm and one of the very first to be completed offshore was commissioned near Hokkaido the northernmost of Japan’s main islands Located on the west side of the island in the Sea of Japan the wind farm began commercial operations on January 1 as part of the government’s efforts to accelerate the use of renewable energy The development of offshore wind power generation has been slow in Japan in part due to the challenges faced by the geography Most of Japan’s coastal regions have greater ocean depth which favors floating wind turbines and in addition the government has outlined a plan to go from virtually nothing to at least 10 GW in the pipeline by 2030 the plan calls for as much as 45 GW of offshore power generation capacity The Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind farm is located near the city of Ishikari It adopted a design suited to the challenges of operating offshore in Japan with specially suited Siemens Gamesa wind turbines It is also the first wind farm in Japan to adopt the larger 8 GW turbines The design also incorporates a battery storage capacity which is a distinguishing feature of the wind farm It will permit the storage of electricity which can help to reduce fluctuations and ensure a consistent power feed into the Hokkaido Electric Power Network The wind farm was developed in a partnership between Jera Japan’s largest power generation company GPI was founded in 2004 dedicated to the development and operation of renewable energy projects it completed the 122 MW onshore wind farm at Tsugaru Jera and NTT acquired GPI last year in a deal valued at more than $2 billion which the Japanese media outlet NHK reported was the most ever paid to buy a Japanese renewable energy company A year ago, Japan commissioned its first large offshore wind farms a two-phase nearshore project in Akita Prefect on the main island of Honshu One of the two neighboring installations has the capacity to provide 84 MW with 20 fixed-bottom 4.2 MW turbines while the other location has 13 turbines The total site has a capacity of approximately 138 MW Experiences Opening period: Saturday, July 10, 2021 - Sunday, August 22, 2021 Location: Benten-cho, Ishikari CityView details of "Ishikarihama Beach Asobiuchi Ishikari" on Domingo (image courtesy of NPO Date Tourist Association) Opening period: July 22 (Thursday) to August 29 (Sunday), 2021 Location: Muko-Usu Town, Date CityView more details about Usu Beach on Domingo (Source: Hokuto City Tourism Association) Opening Period: Saturday, July 17, 2021 - Sunday, August 15, 2021 Location: Nanaehama 1-chome, Hokuto CityView details of "Nanaehama Beach" on Domingo Open period: Friday, July 9, 2021 - Sunday, August 22, 2021 Location: 1 Ranjima, Otaru CityView details about "Ranjima Beach" on Domingo (Image courtesy of Okoppe-cho Tourist Association) Open period: Saturday, July 17 - Sunday, August 22, 2021 Place: Asahi-cho, Koube-cho, Mombetsu-gunView details about "Saru Beach" on Domingo 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] A big transformation for your usual illuminations We tried out a mysterious camera lens that makes stars and hearts appear [2025 Latest Edition] A winter tradition in Hokkaido [Updated for 2025] Enjoy Tomamu's winter How to enjoy the fantastic "Ice Village" and the spectacular "Frost Terrace" [Updated for 2025] Experiences that can only be had in the Sea of Okhotsk Restaurant & Farm Inn "Takahashi Farm & Shorthorn Kingdom Maburitto" (Erimo Town) - Full of the charm of shorthorn beef's "red meat" Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service US-headquartered developer Pattern Energy has achieved financial close on an offshore wind project in northern Japan which will include a 100MW battery energy storage system (BESS) The company said in a release sent to media including Energy-Storage.news on Friday (9 September) that its Ishikari Offshore Wind project around 3km off the coast of the Japanese island of Hokkaido has begun construction The project comprises 112MW of wind power generation from 14 Siemens Gamesa 8MW wind turbines which will be paired with the 100MW/180MWh BESS said financing came from a group of major Japanese financial institutions as well as French multinational investment bank Societe Generale Pattern is working on the project with its Japanese affiliate Green Power Investment Corporation (GPI) GPI was founded in 2004 and like most renewable project developers and investors in Japan has focused largely on the solar PV market until the fairly recent emergence of the country’s wind industry GPI is already constructing Japan’s largest onshore wind farm a 121MW project on which it began work in 2020 Offshore wind has taken a long time to gain traction in the country due largely to the depth of the surrounding seas – where Europe has been able to build offshore wind on the continental shelf under sea Japan has had to wait for some advances in wind farm design and construction for offshore wind to become feasible Pattern Energy said the Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 DD model offshore turbine meets applicable local standards regarding resistance to seismic activity and typhoon weather can operate in sync with the local grid’s 50Hz operating frequency and handle hot and cold ambient temperatures The turbine as well as the whole wind farm design including foundations and other structures also meets Japanese national regulations the second largest of Japan’s islands with a population close to 6 million is the first regional electrical grid territory where the deployment of energy storage is mandated for new large-scale renewable energy facilities That’s partly due to limited grid interconnection with the biggest Japanese island which means power generated from renewable energy can’t easily be transported to the larger demand centre with Hokkaido itself a largely rural region Pattern Energy-GPI have signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for all the wind power plant’s output with Hokkaido Electric Power Network Inc the power distribution and generation business of Hokkaido Electric Power the region’s main utility and grid operator is expected to reach commercial operation towards the end of 2023 Financing was jointly arranged by MUFG Bank Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Societe Generale and the national Development Bank of Japan – which is also a shareholder in GPI Hokkaido’s mandatory requirement for energy storage – set by Hokkaido Electric Power in 2015 – has led it to transition from being an early leader among Japan’s regions for renewable energy adoption to also being its leader in energy storage adoption Examples include the siting of two of the world’s biggest vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) energy storage systems, a 15MW/60MWh project completed in 2015 and another brought online this year of 17MW/51MWh both by technology provider Sumitomo Electric It is also where Tesla is delivering its first Tesla Megapack BESS project in Japan a 1.5MW/6MWh solution for local partners Global Engineering and Ene-Vision That project is thought to also be currently under construction solar inverter and energy storage system company Sungrow offered an insight into the business case for a project it had supplied battery storage to in the region It supplied a DC-coupled BESS to a 6MW solar PV power plant in Hokkaido which had a PPA with Hokkaido Electric to sell power to the grid under a guaranteed ¥21 (US$0.20) per kWh feed-in tariff (FiT) rate but due to grid congestion its export capacity was limited to just 845kWac Adding battery storage allowed that PV plant to sell power 24 hours a day “This historic project is Japan’s largest combined offshore wind and power storage facility and the first installation of an 8MW offshore wind turbine in the country,” Pattern Energy CEO Mike Garland said noting that some 15 years of planning went into it from the in-house team of onshow and offshore wind experts Pattern and GPI claim to have built up “The group of leading financial institutions that is backing this project demonstrates the strong demand for innovative clean power solutions We look forward to successfully completing construction of this project and bringing a new source of clean and renewable energy to Japan powered by the strong winds of Ishikari Bay.” The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive JavaScript settings are disabled in your browser and some functions of this site cannot be used.Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings Error reading javascriptJavaScript settings are disabled in your browser and some functions of this site cannot be used ― World’s Largest Class SEP Vessel Installs Wind Turbines ― (President: Yukito Ishiwa) and Shimizu Corporation (President: Kazuyuki Inoue) formed Joint Venture began construction of offshore windfarm at Ishikari Bay New Port in the waters between Ishikari City and Otaru City in Hokkaido The windfarm upon completion will be the largest in Japan This project was ordered based on the client’s evaluation of the specification of the SEP vessel that Shimizu is building which will be one of the largest in the world The project execution with the SEP vessel will start in June 2023 The Ishikari Bay New Port offshore windfarm will be constructed in an area of approximately 500 hectares located 1,600 meters offshore from the port Consisting of 14 units of 8 MW wind turbines and a 15.5 km 66 kV submarine cable and power-generating capacity will be 112 MW (with a connection capacity of 99 MW) a special-purpose company established by Green Power Investment Corporation and the contractor is a joint venture of Nippon Steel Engineering and Shimizu The commercial operation is scheduled to begin in December 2023 8 MW wind turbines will be the largest offshore wind turbines in Japan with the highest point of the blade being 190 meters high The wind turbines consist of a 90-meter-tall tower (post) a nacelle (motor unit) installed at the top of the tower and three 80-meter-long blades connected to the nacelle but our SEP vessel can transport them with their full tower for efficient installation based on the capacity of the main crane and the loading capacity of the vessel the tower might be divided into two parts and assembled at offshore It is estimated that construction would take around four months due to the many trips reguired between the base port and the construction site the construction can be completed in two months Shortening the SEP vessel operation period reduces the construction period and costs directly contributing to profitability of the power generation business as wind turbines and wind farms become bigger the performance of the SEP vessel used for construction will have a significant impact on the construction period and costs offshore wind farm developers in Japan and overseas have high expectations for our SEP vessel Outfitting work is in progress at Aioi Shipyard of Japan Marine United Corporation (Aioi City and we expect it to be completed in October according to schedule She will go to Etajima City in Hiroshima where our engineers and crew will have training for SEP vessel operation it will be used for installation of three units of 3 MW wind turbines and foundations offshore of Nyuzen-machi Then she will head to Ishikari Bay where rigging work for the project will take place With Japanese government’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 and a looming energy crisis in Japan arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine demand for renewable energy is increasing steadily Offshore wind power is the most promising source of renewable energy and many construction plans are taking shape in Japan and overseas By proposing construction plans using the SEP vessel we are building Shimizu aim to expand contracts and become a major player in the construction of offshore windfarm The information contained in this news release is the current information on the date of publication Please be aware that this information may have changed by the time you view it Please contact the company to inquire for further details Copyright © 1996-2025 SHIMIZU CORPORATION Kyocera Communication Systems plans to build a data center solely powered by wind Construction on the “zero-emission” data center is due to start later this month with the facility set to be ready for operation in 2021 the site will only start running on renewable energy from 2022 KCCS is a telecoms engineering and ICT business that owns equipment design technologies related to energy saving and storage The site will be connected by a private powerline to nearby solar and wind power plants installed by KCCS Both power plants will each provide 2MW of power to the data center KCCS has also partnered with a nearby biomass plant to supply the facility with sustainably-derived electricity Hokkaido temperatures regularly reach below 30°F (-1°C) during the winter allowing the data center to be cooled by ambient air during these months snow will be collected and stored to provide cooling in warmer summer months This is not the first time we have heard of snow being stored to be used for cooling in the summer. In 2016, a research project was launched in Bibai, Hokkaido that heaped mounds of snow covered with an insulating material over a heat exchanger to cool a data center This method allowed the data center to be kept at 77°F (25°C) without the need for electric air cooling Ishikari City agreed to partner with KCCS on the project on March 26 in the Ishikari Bay New Port industrial park The park has a “100 percent renewable energy area” commitment which requires all companies who build in the area to power their facilities with renewable energy Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia CAPE Holland has announced that 56 jacket foundation pin piles were installed at the Ishikari offshore wind farm in Japan the CAPE VLT-320 was used for the installation of 56 pin piles with lengths of 60 metres and a diameter of 2.5 metres for the Japanese offshore wind project The piles were driven through a seabed template until trunnions were just above the pile gripper Pile verticality was critical with constant monitoring while driving via the CAPE Holland in-built inclinometer system Pattern Energy Group and its affiliate in Japan completed financing and began full construction of the offshore wind farm in October located approximately three kilometres from the shore of the Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido Ishikari Offshore Wind will utilise 14 Siemens Gamesa 8.0 MW wind turbines Ishikari Wind will also feature a battery storage component with 100 MW x 180 MWh of capacity The project has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Hokkaido Electric Power Network for 100 per cent of the power output have completed financing and begun full construction of the 112 MW Ishikari Offshore Wind project located approximately three kilometers from the shore of the Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido ”We look forward to working with Pattern Energy on this excellent opportunity to bring more clean renewable power into Japan’s energy mix,” said Marc Becker ”Together with Pattern Energy and GPI and environmental benefits of offshore wind power to everyone involved with the project.” The turbines and their supporting structures received ClassNK certification ”This historic project is Japan’s largest combined offshore wind and power storage facility and the first installation of an 8 MW offshore wind turbine in the country,” said Mike Garland ”We would like to thank Ishikari city and all the people concerned for their great cooperation in promoting this project,” said Mitsuru Sakaki ”We will proceed with construction work while being considerate of the environment It is an honor to promote the creation of clean energy in a manner that protects the cultural values of the region and enhances critical infrastructure of the country.” Today's print edition Home Delivery About a 40-minute drive to the north from central Sapporo lies the Sea of Japan port of Ishikari a city rich in biodiversity that now finds itself at the heart of a fierce debate over wind power as Japan scrambles to decarbonize its energy sector Ishikari represents the idealized version of Hokkaido for many Japanese as well as for foreign tourists: Its coastal waters are famous for their seafood while the city’s nature trails and parks are home to dozens of varieties of flowers including the white-tailed eagle (ojirowashi) or the “old one,” also make this area home.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); But the future of the eagle — a designated Japanese natural monument and a threatened species — as well as Ishikari's other flora and fauna are the subjects of growing concern among local environmental activists That’s because in addition to attracting wildlife and people looking to connect with nature Ishikari is also attracting offshore wind power projects will lead to irreversible environmental damage the offshore area of Ishikari was designated by the central government as a "promising area" for wind power generation this area overlaps with the environmental conservation area on a wind power generation zoning map set by the city in 2019 “The Ishikari Bay area is a route for migratory birds in spring and fall and there is concern about the wind turbines leading to bird strikes,” says Naoko Kasuya co-director of an Ishikari citizens group that opposes the construction “There are also worries about the loss of abundant fishery resources especially the impact the turbines would have on fishermen along the coast.” residents are concerned the sight of wind turbines in the bay could have a negative impact on Ishikari’s scenery damaging the local environmental tourism industry While climate scientists are urging the world to rapidly ditch fossil fuels and scale up clean forms of energy like wind studies show that environmental concerns over offshore wind farms are not completely unfounded A 2022 study published in Nature on the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms noted that they varied depending on the environmental characteristics of specific areas — characteristics which included the presence of migrating bird species The study said that impacts also depend on the initial state and resilience of the area where offshore wind farms are located with the degree differing dramatically for some ecosystem elements including in positive ways for some species and negative ways for others The concerns among residents in Ishikari about the environmental impact of wind power are being raised almost three years after Japan finalized its basic energy plan for 2030 in which it targeted a share of 36% to 38% for renewables.The target for on- and offshore wind power was set at 5% of the total supply Key to that goal are projects in Ishikari and elsewhere that continue to be announced The Japan Wind Power Association noted that at the end of 2022 the country had a cumulative installed capacity of 4,802 megawatts — equivalent to roughly four modern nuclear reactors But much more is planned for not only Hokkaido but also in Akita and other coastal areas where the meteorological conditions are judged to be best for effective wind power Local governments promoting terrestrial and offshore (including fixed and floating) wind farm projects offer two basic arguments for building them The first is that they are a necessary method of helping to reduce Japan’s emissions to fight global warming and meet carbon reduction goals The second is that they'll attract new investment and jobs and revive the local economy in parts of the country where the populations are rapidly aging and declining At a December symposium in Sapporo on offshore wind and local community participation municipal representatives from several cities in Hokkaido and Nagasaki spoke about the urgent need to persuade local communities especially powerful local fishing unions that have legal rights to coastal seas to accept wind projects by detailing their benefits “Reaching an agreement with the local fishing unions is most important we met with fishing union representatives countless times to secure permission for the related work needed for the wind turbines,” said Yuki Kawaguchi a municipal official involved with renewable energy projects in the Nagasaki Prefecture city the future of offshore wind means floating turbines rather than those that are fixed to the seabed With floating projects presenting additional hurdles the start of the city’s 16.8 MW wind project has been delayed until January 2026 due to technical problems Japan’s first large-scale offshore wind farm began operations in December 2022 A total of 33 wind turbines generate around 140 MW of electricity local activists sent letters of protest to Akita officials expressing concern about the potential effect on the ocean environment and saying that only the economic effects of the project were considered new wind projects continue to be announced as Japan moves forward to meet its goal of increasing offshore wind power capacity to 10 GW by 2030 with further goals of reaching 30 GW to 45 GW by 2040 a 684 MW project in Niigata and a 420 MW project in Nagasaki were approved by the central government All are fixed wind farms and are scheduled to begin operations between June 2028 and August 2029 Japan’s efforts to ramp up offshore wind power are part of a larger international effort to embrace the energy source Group of Seven leaders pledged to collectively increase offshore wind capacity by 150 GW by 2030 those questioning the wisdom of great increases in offshore wind also point to another international goal agreed to by world leaders in Hiroshima: achieving the target of effectively conserving and managing at least 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas and at least 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030 and halting and reversing biodiversity loss by that same year Issues stemming from disagreements and negotiations with local residents and fishers’ groups come on top of recent industry woes the cost of wind turbines has risen due to a spike in the cost of building materials which has led to delays and cancellations of projects in Japan and abroad Yet the need to decarbonize the energy sector is more pressing than ever Scientists warn that climate change will be irreversible for hundreds of years unless the world takes immediate action to curb emissions by quitting fossil fuels wind power is expected to play a key role in helping reach that goal But without taking into account legitimate environmental concerns efforts to expand wind in local communities around the world could face stiff local opposition resulting in longer delays in their implementation — if they are even built only to discover they create excessive environmental damage that further turns the public against them there are some recent successful overseas examples of wind farm projects balancing environmental concerns with developers’ plans three environmental groups and the developers of an offshore wind farm off the coast of the northeastern U.S struck a deal to ensure the protection of North Atlantic right whales “We don’t need to choose between clean energy development and wildlife protection and this agreement shows how we can do both,” said Alison Chase The Nature study concludes by advocating for more analysis on the positive and negative effects of offshore wind noting that the implementation of machine-learning and modeling tools can be used to better assess the risks of offshore wind projects “Such tools are to be further integrated into decision-support tools to identify future deployment areas and contribute to making the (offshore wind energy) sector more environmentally sustainable,” the study says there is support on both sides for one thing: more research an honorary professor at Chuo University and Ishikari resident who is also opposed to the wind power turbines planned for the city says that what is needed is more thought and scientific analysis about the demerits of offshore wind turbines to coastal biodiversity especially by government agencies and businesses who are pushing the technology as a way to curtail global warming “Supporters of wind power say that the issue of climate change is more important to all of us and that's why we need wind power but they don't study any of the environmental damage they do,” he says “It’s critical to objectively explain how much wind power generation can destroy the natural environment.” In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your 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To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Japan’s Hokkaido Electric Power said it has started loading LNG trucks at its Ishikari LNG import facility The utility noted in its statement that with the first LNG truck supply delivered it is launching a full-scale gas supply business Hokkaido Electric said the development follows the delivery of the first LNG cargo to its Ishikari facility in August this year The cargo was delivered by the Malaysian energy giant Petronas onboard the 137,500-cbm LNG Puteri Delima Satu Hokkaido Electric used the cargo for the commissioning of its LNG tank at the Ishikari facility Ingersoll Rand Engineering Project Solutions At Ingersoll Rand’s Engineering Project Solutions we have been managing and implementing engineered to-order air packages for complex technical requirements for over 60 years We provide specialized custom compressed air and gas compressors as well as nitrogen generation packages to international EPC contractors and engineering companies across a range of […] Spain — Green Power Investment has ordered Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy turbines for the 112-MW Ishikari offshore wind power project The agreement covers supply of 14 SG 8.0-167 DD offshore wind turbines each rated at 8-MW capacity and with a 167-m rotor and a 15-year full-scope service arrangement Installation is due to start in July 2023 at the location 5 km offshore in Ishikari Bay “We’ll build on our established onshore business in Japan with close to 1 GW already installed or under service…Our 8.0-167 DD machine is the first dedicated offshore wind turbine to receive ClassNK certification.” This notation is said to be mandatory for the Japanese government to approve construction confirming that the turbines meet technical standards required for the Ishikari project The SG 8.0-167 DD is customized to comply with local codes and standards covering typhoons Its 167-m diameter rotor has a swept area of 21,900 sq m and employs B81 blades a coastal city of about 58,000 just outside Sapporo has long been known nationally for one product: salmon Its processing plants send dried and canned products to restaurants and supermarkets throughout Japan and Ishikari nabe (hot pot) — featuring salmon stewed in a miso broth — is naturally the city’s signature dish.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); But the city on the Sea of Japan coast is now hoping to stake out another claim to fame The company will supply 14 of its SG 8.0-167 DD offshore wind turbines Germany-based renewable energy firm Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has secured an offshore wind power order for the Ishikari offshore wind power project in Japan from Green Power Investment The 112MW wind power project is located nearly 5km from the shore of Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido SGRE will supply 14 of its SG 8.0-167 DD offshore wind turbines each with 8MW of capacity and a 167m rotor The SG 8.0-167 DD turbine is said to be the first to receive ClassNK certification as it was deemed to meet all the technical standards required for the Ishikari project The Ishikari project is the second commercial-scale wind farm to receive ClassNK certification which is required for the Japanese government to give approval for construction Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit CEO Marc Becker said: “Green Power Investment’s confidence in Siemens Gamesa is invigorating and we’re eager to deliver the Ishikari project Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis with close to 1GW already installed or under service “These offshore wind turbines and service agreement are an excellent opportunity to bring more clean renewable energy into the country’s energy mix it is a testament to our proven technology that our SG 8.0-167 DD machine is the first dedicated offshore wind turbine to receive ClassNK certification.” SGRE plans to begin installation works at the site from next July and has also signed a 15-year full-scope service agreement for the project Siemens Gamesa Japan managing director Russell Cato said: “With more than 20 years of local experience Siemens Gamesa is committed to the Japanese wind power market and confident we can contribute to the local offshore wind industry “Together with Green Power Investment we see abundant opportunities for supply chain and local employment and we look forward to working with them on the Ishikari offshore wind power project.” Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. Volume 10 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.826907 This article is part of the Research TopicHydrobiogeochemistry of Major Asian RiversView all 11 articles particularly dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is an important source of energy and/or organic nutrients for heterotrophic microorganisms in rivers Although various factors controlling the quantity and quality of stream and riverine DOM have been extensively studied DON has been under-researched compared to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) The spatial distribution of DOC and DON concentrations with respect to the C/N ratio and DOM optical properties was investigated in the Ishikari River and its tributaries in Hokkaido the upper reaches are forested and the middle and lower reaches are encompassed by agricultural land dark incubation experiments were conducted using filtered riverine water (<0.7 µm) to determine the bioavailability of DOC and DON (particularly due to small microorganisms) considered as a factor controlling the spatial distribution DOC and DON concentrations increased with river flow in the upper and middle reaches and remained unchanged in the lower reaches The C/N ratio of bulk DOM decreased continuously from the upper reaches to lower reaches The optical properties exhibited changes in the DOM characteristics in terms of higher molecular weight and higher aromaticity from the upper to middle reaches suggesting that flooded paddy fields largely altered the riverine DOM concentration and composition the C/N ratio of the bulk DOM decreased with the river flow no changes were observed in the optical properties with river flow suggesting that the C/N ratio of bulk DOM changed owing to in situ biological activity in the river DOC biodegradation was observed at four sites in the upper and middle reaches but not at the two sites in the lower reaches the DON concentration during the dark incubation experiments at all sites did not differ significantly is a factor that decreased the C/N ratio of bulk DOM in the upper and middle reaches large microorganisms possibly degraded C-rich DOM to decrease the C/N ratio of bulk DOM in the lower reaches of the Ishikari River the environmental dynamics of DOM in rivers must be determined by considering their origin and bioavailability for an improved understanding of riverine ecosystems implying that at least fractions of the DON are actively involved in the metabolism of lower trophic levels in riverine ecosystems DON bioavailability was reduced in DIN-rich environments we determined the spatial distribution of DOC and DON concentrations and the optical properties of DOM in the Ishikari River Basin in Hokkaido The biodegradability of DOC and DON was also determined by 40-days dark incubation experiments The aim of this study was to estimate the factors controlling the DOC and DON concentrations and C/N ratio of bulk DOM in the Ishikari River to improve our understanding of the influence of C/N ratio on the environmental dynamics of riverine DOM the river flow is relatively high in August and September because of heavy precipitation from typhoons and fronts FIGURE 1. Map of the study area. White plots indicate the sampling sites and the number next to the plot denotes the site number. The black dotted lines divide upper, middle and lower reaches. This map was created by processing “Digital National Land Information (Data of Land use in 2016)" (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) (https://nlftp.mlit.go.jp/ksj/index.html) The topography of the watershed is 60% mountains and 40% plains Most of the upper reaches of the watershed are mountainous The watershed of the upper reaches of the Ishikari River Basin comprises the Taisetsu Mountains which are a group of volcanoes reaching heights of up to 2,000 m the lower reaches of the watersheds are plain The land use land cover of watersheds is largely dominated by forests (Kunii and Saito, 2009; Duan et al., 2015) Alpine vegetation was evident in the headwaters of the watersheds deciduous broad-leaved forests are developed with partial distribution of planted coniferous forests the land is utilized for other agricultural purposes such as cultivation of vegetables and beans The cropping period for paddy fields and other agricultural land is approximately from April to October Information on the study area during observations Observations were conducted at Sites 1–5 and U1–U4 on 23 July 2020; Sites 6–12 and S1 on 24 July 2020; and Sites 13–15 The weather on the observation days was sunny and cloudy Surface water samples were collected from the bridge using a stainless-steel bucket with a rope and poured into 500 ml acid-washed (soaked in 1 M hydrochloric acid overnight and washed with Milli-Q water) polycarbonate bottles Both buckets and bottles utilized for water sampling were rinsed thrice with river water The water temperature and electrical conductivity (EC) of the river water were measured using an electrical conductivity meter (LAQUAact ES-71 Samples were filtered on site through a pre-combusted (450°C 3 h) glass fiber filter (Whatman GF/F filter pore size: approximately 0.7 μm) under reduced pressure The filtrate was dispensed into two acid-washed 10 ml acrylic tubes and two 40 ml glass vials and subsequently stored in a cooler All tubes and glass vials were rinsed thrice with filtered sample water Immediately after returning to the laboratory at the Faculty of Environmental Earth Science the acrylic tubes were kept frozen in the dark for inorganic nutrient and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) analyses glass vials for DOM analyses were kept refrigerated in the dark The concentration of DOC (μMC) was measured by the combustion catalytic oxidation method using a total organic carbon analyzer (TOC-L CSH The DOC concentration was calculated from the standard curve using a potassium hydrogen phthalate solution and was determined daily DIN (NH4+, NO2−, and NO3−) and phosphate (PO4−) concentrations (µMN and µMP, respectively) were measured by colorimetric analysis using a continuous flow analyzer (QuAAtro, BRAN + LUEBBE GmbH). The TDN concentration (µMN) was determined by measuring the NO3− concentration after oxidative decomposition by the wet oxidation method using potassium peroxydisulfate (Yamashita et al., 2021) The detection limit was calculated as the sum of the mean of the blank concentration and thrice the standard deviation The detection limits were 0.26 μMN for NH4+ 0.59 μMN for NO3− + NO2− The DON concentration (µMN) was estimated by subtracting the DIN concentration from the TDN concentration The C/N ratio of DOM was calculated as the molar ratio of the DOC concentration to the DON concentration UV-Vis absorption spectra were measured using a spectrophotometer (UV-1900i, Shimadzu) to measure the UV-Vis absorbance of DOM. These absorption spectra were acquired with a 5 cm quartz-windowed cell at wavelengths between 200 and 800 nm at 0.5 nm intervals. The absorbance spectrum of the sample was baseline-corrected by subtracting average values ranging from 683 to 687 nm from the entire spectrum, according to Babin et al. (2003) To evaluate the bioavailability of DOC and DON in stream water, biodegradation experiments were conducted at six sites (Sites 1, 6, 10, 11, 14, and 15) from the mainstream of the Ishikari River according to Hasegawa et al. (2010) and Yamashita et al. (2013) The average of the triplicate incubation results was implemented as the concentration after the bioassay standard deviation was used to determine the error associated with the bioassay The amount of decomposed DOC was calculated by subtracting the DOC concentration after the bioassay from that before The amount of DON decomposition was calculated by subtracting the DIN concentration before the bioassay from that after considering that DIN is not converted to organic matter or lost during the decomposition experiment; instead DIN is produced by the decomposition of DON The rate of change (in %) was calculated by dividing the amount of decomposed DOC (DON) by the DOC (DON) concentration before the bioassay and multiplying it by 100 Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between DON and DOC concentrations. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was determined for each parameter. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the data pertaining to the C/N ratio of DOM, FI, HIX, B/C, B/A, A/C, SUVA254, and SR to comprehensively evaluate the chemical properties of DOM at each site. All statistical analyses were performed using R 4.1.1 (R Core Team, 2021) The water temperature and EC values are presented in Table 1 The water temperature ranged from 12.9 to 23.7°C with an overall average of 18.9°C the water temperature was lower than that in the lower reaches of the mainstream (Ishikari River) it was similar to or lower than that in the mainstream The EC ranged from 0.070 to 0.161 mS cm−1 in the mainstream and from 0.068 to 0.212 mS cm−1 in the major tributaries Regardless of the mainstream or tributaries the EC in the upper reaches was lower than that in the lower reaches DOC concentrations, DON concentrations, and the C/N ratio of DOM are summarized in Table 2, and their spatial variations are shown in Figure 2 the DOC concentration ranged from 34 μMC (Site 1) to 197 μMC (Site 10) The DOC concentration in the mainstream increased with the river flow in the upper and middle reaches and remained unchanged in the lower reaches The DOC concentration in each major tributary was generally lower than that at each confluence with the mainstream The highest DOC concentration (310 μMC) was observed in the middle reaches of the Uryu River (Site U2) The spatial distribution of the (A) Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (B) Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentration and (C) Carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio in the Ishikari River Basin White plots represent mainstream and black plots represent major tributaries Plots of major tributaries are inserted at the confluence with the mainstream The lowermost reaches of each tributary are plotted in the figures The DON concentration in the mainstream ranged from 1.8 μMN (Site 1) to 14.0 μMN (Site 15) and increased with the river flow in the upper and middle reaches each major tributary demonstrated lower DON concentrations than the concentration at each confluence with the mainstream The highest DON concentration (15.4 μMN) was observed in the lower reaches of the Uryu River (Site U4) A positive linear relationship existed between DOC and DON concentrations in the Ishikari River and the tributaries (Figure 3) Relationship between dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and black plots represent the major tributaries The black dotted line is a linear regression line for all samples The C/N ratio exhibited spatial variation in the Ishikari River Basin (Table 2; Figure 2) the C/N ratio ranged from 12.1 (Site 15) to 22.0 (Site 3) and continuously decreased with the river flow from the upper to the lower reaches The C/N ratio of the major tributaries (12.3–23.6) was similar to that of the mainstream The DIN and PO4− concentrations are listed in Table 2 The DIN concentration ranged from 7.4 to 76.8 μMN in the Ishikari River and the major tributaries DIN concentrations in the upper reaches were lower than those in the middle and lower reaches The DIN concentrations in the major tributaries were heterogeneous the DIN concentrations were approximately three times higher than the DON concentrations at most sites The PO4− concentration was less than 1 μMP at all sites (ranging from 0.08 to 0.99 μMP) The PO4− concentrations in the upper reaches were lower than those in the middle and lower reaches of the mainstream the PO4− concentrations were distributed heterogeneously The N/P ratio of inorganic nutrients ranged from 25 to 293 with an average ± standard deviation of 95 ± 52 The optical properties of DOM, such as SR, SUVA254, B/C, B/A, A/C, FI, and HIX, at each site are summarized in Table 2 SR in the Ishikari River Basin ranged from 0.65 at the Chitose River (Site Chi1) to 1.06 at the upper reaches of the mainstream (Site 1) with average ± standard deviation of 0.84 ± 0.09 SR in the mainstream decreased with the river flow in the upper reaches and remained unchanged in the middle and lower reaches The SR values of the major tributaries were heterogeneously distributed The overall average ± standard deviation of SUVA254 is 4.05 ± 0.68 (2.47 at Site 1 to 5.34 at Site Chi1) SUVA254 increased with the river flow in the upper and lower reaches while the SUVA254 values in the middle reaches and in major tributaries were heterogeneously distributed the ratio of protein-like fluorophores to humic-like fluorophores was higher in the middle reaches (in particular Sites 6 to 8 and 11) than in the upper and lower reaches even though the ratios in the most upstream site (Site 1) had high values The ratios in the major tributaries (Sites I2 and Chi1) whose confluence was located at the lower reaches were higher than those in the major tributaries with confluence in the upper and middle reaches in the Ishikari River and the major tributaries did not change considerably (from 1.74 at Site 7 to 2.12 at Site I2 average ± standard deviation = 1.91 ± 0.09) The FI exhibited a narrow range from 1.61 at the most upper reaches of the mainstream (Site 1) to 1.41 at the upper reaches of the Uryu River (Site U1) with an average ± standard deviation of 1.54 ± 0.04 The value in the mainstream increased with the river flow from Sites 2 to 7 and then decreased toward Site 14 The values of the major tributaries exhibited a heterogeneous distribution The HIX ranged from 3.51 at the Ikushunbetsu River (Site I2) to 7.99 at the most upper reaches of the mainstream (Site 1) and its average ± standard deviation was 5.05 ± 0.09 The HIX value in the mainstream was the highest in the uppermost site (Site 1) and then increased slightly toward Site 10 even though the values in the lower reaches did not change significantly The HIX in the major tributaries was distributed heterogeneously The PCA results are shown in Figure 4 with a large positive coefficient of HIX and negative coefficients of B/A and B/C with a large positive coefficient of SUVA254 and a large negative coefficient of SR the positive score of PC1 indicated high humification and the negative score indicated a high abundance of protein-like fluorophores PC2 demonstrated a high molecular weight and aromaticity with a positive score and a low molecular weight with a negative score a large positive PC1 score was observed in the upper reaches (Sites 1 and 3) and some of the middle and lower reaches (Sites 10 a large negative PC1 was evident in the middle reaches (Sites 6 sites in the upper and middle reaches (Sites 1 while other sites in the middle reaches (Sites 4 and 9–11) and those in the lower reaches exhibited positive scores The PC scores of the tributaries were generally more dispersed than those of the mainstream Results of principal component analysis (PCA) (A) coefficients and (B) scores using qualitative indicators of dissolved organic matter (DOM) at each site White and black plots in (b) represent the mainstream and major tributaries The number next to the plot is the site number The changes in DOC and DON concentrations in the 40-days dark incubation experiments are shown in Figure 5 The reproducibility of the triplicate incubations was good and 17–29% of the initial DOC decreased (in 40 days) at four sites in the upper and middle reaches the DOC concentrations did not change significantly at the two sites in the lower reaches Changes in the (A) dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and (B) dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations associated with the 40-days bioassay Error bars represent the standard deviation from triplicate incubation The DON concentrations at any of the six sites did not significantly differ before and after incubation because variations in DON concentration by incubation were smaller than the standard deviation of the triplicate incubations suggesting that major tributaries were not the major factors controlling the DOM concentration and composition in the mainstream Matrix of Pearson’s correlation coefficients among each parameter The significance is indicated by * (p < 0.05) ** (p < 0.01) and N.S A decrease in the C/N ratio of bulk DOM with the river flow from the upper reaches to the lower reaches of the Ishikari River (Figure 2) suggests: 1) changes in the C/N ratio of allochthonous DOM from minor tributaries including the agricultural channel (which were not observed in this study) 2) substantial contribution of DOM from riverine riparian zone and biological production or 3) preferential removal of C-rich DOM than N-rich DOM These results imply that the increase in DOM concentration accompanying the change in the quality from the upper to the middle reaches is probably due to the contribution of the paddy field outflow to the mainstream similar to the changes in the quantity and quality of DOM in the upper to middle reaches paddy field-derived DOM was the probable source for the minor tributaries mainly determined by its optical properties the C/N ratio (which was not largely influenced in the PCA) of bulk DOM decreased with the river flow in the lower reaches suggesting that the C/N ratio of paddy field-derived DOM might be changed in situ in the mainstream The ratio of humic-like fluorophores (A/C) in the Ishikari River did not change significantly with the river flow These distribution patterns of the optical proxies imply that photodegradation is not a major process controlling the optical properties of DOM and the C/N ratio of DOM in the Ishikari River These results suggest that the decrease in the C/N ratio of DOM with river flow in the lower reaches might be the result of biodegradation of C-rich DOM by large microorganisms (>0.7 μm) that were not present in the bioassay of the study Bioassay experiments were conducted to evaluate the bioavailability of DOM in riverine water The initial DOC concentration was degraded by 17–29% in 40 days at four sites in the upper and middle reaches but the DOC concentrations did not change significantly at the two downstream sites This result suggests that the labile DOC in the river is utilized by microorganisms in the upper and middle reaches whereas the bio-refractory DOC accounts for a large proportion of DOM in the lower reaches the results of this study might underestimate the actual loss of DOC because large sized microorganisms (>0.7 μm) were removed from the bioassay experiments through filtration the decrease in the C/N ratio of DOM with river flow in the lower reaches implies that large microorganisms preferentially remove C-rich DOM over N-rich DOM The degradation rate of DOC (%) was not significantly correlated with PO4− or DIN concentrations at the six sites (R = -0.49 and n = 6 for PO4−; and R = -0.55 suggesting that differences in the concentration of inorganic nutrients did not affect the biodegradation of riverine DOC particularly by small microorganisms (<0.7 μm) Relationships between biodegradability and B/A and B/C which correspond to the contribution of protein-like fluorophores in total fluorophores were observed in this study (R = 0.83 and n = 6 for B/A; and R = 0.82 These results imply that the abundance of protein-like substances may affect the biodegradability of riverine DOC These results imply that protein-like fluorophores were selectively degraded during the dark incubation period Another possible explanation for the different behaviors of DOC and DON during the biodegradation experiments is that the decomposition and production of N-containing organic compounds occur at the same extent. Hence, the microorganisms take up N-containing organic compounds with higher C/N ratios and release N-containing organic compounds with lower C/N ratios. This mechanism is consistent with the findings of Pisani et al. (2017) who reported the production of many new N-containing organic compounds during dark microbial incubation of riverine DOM This study investigated the spatial distribution of DOC and DON concentrations and the C/N ratio with DOM optical properties in the Ishikari River Basin and dark incubation experiments were conducted to determine the bioavailability of DOC and DON as a factor controlling their spatial distribution A major factor influencing the DOC and DON concentrations as well as the optical properties of DOM in the mainstream might be the input of high levels of DOM with high molecular weight and high aromaticity from flooded paddy fields the input of autochthonous DOM with a low C/N ratio and selective removal of C-rich DOM were suggested to be important factors in decreasing the C/N ratio of DOM with the river flow in the mainstream The relationship between degradable DOM components involved in the C/N ratio and the type of microorganisms may improve our understanding of riverine DOM as a source of energy and/or organic nutrients in river ecosystems The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author This research was partly supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science grant KAKENHI JP19H04249 to Y.Y The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher We wish to acknowledge the help of Yuka Sazuka, Soushi Abe, and Kota Ishizaka for their assistance with observations and DOM analysis. We would also like to acknowledge I. Kudo and his lab members for their help with inorganic nutrient analysis. 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Yuji Takaki, eXVqaXRha2FraUBlZXMuaG9rdWRhaS5hYy5qcA== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Japanese utility JERA has submitted the Planning Phase Environmental Impact Statement for an offshore wind project off Ishikari Bay in Japan The planned offshore wind farm will be located at least 2.5km offshore from Ishikari and Otaru and is expected to include up to 65 turbines with a maximum generation capacity of 520 MW JERA stated that Ishikari Bay is suitable for the installation of bottom-fixed foundations due to its favorable wind conditions and the spare capacity of the nearby power grid the project includes the installation of an energy storage system to mitigate the impact on the power system of fluctuations in wind power generation output A public review process for the Environmental Impact Statement is about to begin and end on 24 September NYK has concluded a time charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy for a crew transfer vessel for an offshore windfarm in Japan The CTV will be owned by NYK and managed by Hokkaido-based Hokuyo Kaiun Co Ltd The vessel will transport workers to an offshore windfarm at Ishikari Bay New Port which is scheduled to begin commercial operation in December 2023 The Ishikari Bay New Port offshore windfarm is being developed by Green Power Ishikari a special purpose company established by Green Power Investment Corp and maintain a windfarm consisting of 14 Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 DD offshore wind turbines The CTV will be used to transport workers between the offshore windfarm and a shore base NYK noted the market for CTVs in Japan is expected to grow significantly “This will be the first CTV NYK has operated in Japan,” the company said “We aim to use this as a foothold for further expansion into the offshore wind market.” Sign up for Riviera’s series of technical and operational webinars and conferences in 2023: Sign In Subscribe Now A Shinto Shrine ritual was held at Campbell River’s Torii Gate in Sequoia Park on Thursday The ceremony was part of a visit to Campbell River by a delegation from Ishikari which was here to renew the two cities’ twinning relationship on the occasion of that relationship’s 40th anniversary The delegation met with Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dahl and signed an agreement to continue the sister city relationship which has seen cultural and business exchanges as well as youths from both communities participating in visits and learning exchanges over the past 40 years The Torii was a gift to Campbell River from Ishikari in 1993 to mark the 10th anniversary of the twinning relationship Campbell River gifted Ishkari a totem pole carved by the Henderson family of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation @AlstrTeditor@campbellrivermirror.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. 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To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Top Page > Press Release 2023 > MOL Signs Time Charter Contract for 2 CTVs to Serve Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Windfarm -The First CTV in Japan to be managed and operated under ISM Code- (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that it has concluded a time charter contract with Shimizu Corporation for two crew transfer vessels (CTV) (Note 1) for offshore windfarm at Ishikari Bay New Port This marks the MOL Group's first entry into the CTV business is the first CTV in Japan managed and operated under International Safety Management (ISM) Code (Note 2) which is the international standard of ship safety management system (President: Hiroshi Kobayashi; Headquarters: Minato-ku which will support the construction and operation of the project transporting workers to and from the offshore windfarm The vessels are slated to begin service later this month By applying the international standard ship safety management system to a coastal CTV in Japan the MOL Group will provide higher quality CTV services at offshore windfarms that will be developed in various parts of Japan in the future The windfarm is being developed by a special purpose company (SPC) called Green Power Ishikari LLC (established in February 2016 by Green Power Investment Corporation) The installation of 14 units of 8 MW wind turbines manufactured by Siemens Gamesa will take place at an offshore site with an area of approximately 500 hectares The Japanese government has declared its target of achieving carbon neutrality which means zero overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 Offshore wind power is positioned as an important future source of electricity and construction of offshore wind power facilities is expected to begin in earnest around 2026 The MOL Group will use this project as a foothold to deepen its knowledge of CTV operation and contribute to the wider development and use of offshore wind power generation In line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2," the MOL Group will contribute to the stable supply of renewable energy to create a sustainable world and promote the reduction of various impacts on the global environment such as the protection of natural capital and biodiversity [MOL Group Offshore Wind Power-Related Business] Line (MOL) has concluded a time charter contract with Shimizu Corporation for two crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for the Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind project in Japan This marks the MOL Group’s entry into the CTV business MOL Group company MOL Coastal Shipping will operate the CTVs transporting workers to and from the offshore wind farm JCAT Three and Kazehaya were constructed by Damen Shipyards is the first CTV in Japan managed and operated under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code certified by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) The Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind project is being developed by a special purpose company (SPC) called Green Power Ishikari LLC established in 2016 by Green Power Investment Corporation The project’s developers completed financing and began full construction of the Ishikari Bay New Port offshore wind farm in October last year Located approximately three kilometres from the shore of Ishikari Bay in Hokkaido, the project will utilise 14 Siemens Gamesa 8.0 MW wind turbines that are built specifically for offshore use Siemens Gamesa concluded a charter contract with Nippon Yusen Kaisha for CTV for the wind farm Clarksons Offshore Renewables team is a leader in offshore vessel chartering offshore logistics and strategic marine advisory services Supporting all vessel types and all offshore energy sources we’re your go-to partner for all stages and sizes of offshore renewables projects We continue to push the boundaries and stay at the heart of the marine […] Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa has been awarded its first firm offshore order in Japan for the 112 MW Ishikari wind power project by Green Power Investment.  The order includes 14 ClassNK-certified offshore wind turbines each with a capacity of 8 MW and featuring a 167-m rotor the order includes a 15-year full-scope service agreement The installation of the Ishikari offshore wind power project is planned to begin in July 2023 “We’ll build on our established onshore business in Japan with close to 1 GW already installed or under service These offshore wind turbines and service agreement are an excellent opportunity to bring more clean renewable energy into the country’s energy mix,” said Marc Becker CEO of the Siemens Gamesa offshore business unit Siemens Gamesa has been operating in Japan since 1999 The company’s onshore wind track record includes close to 600 MW of installed capacity and 340 MW under maintenance and operation Japan has become the second country with firm offshore orders for Siemens Gamesa in the Asia-Pacific region The company has received more than 3 GW of firm orders in Taiwan including the installation of Taiwan’s first offshore wind power plant in 2019 They should be bright yellow so they are visible in the ocea.. 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