Japan is known for producing a significant portion of its electricity through nuclear power plants due to limited potential for solar and wind power. However, since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, the use of nuclear energy has become controversial. As a result, Japan is seeking new ways to secure its energy independence. While Japan has limited potential for solar and wind power, it has the sixth-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, making alternative energy sources in the sea a viable option. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (Nedo) and IHI are working on a project to use deep-sea currents to generate electricity.
The Kuroshio current, also known as the Black current or Japan current, is a deep-sea current that flows east of the Japanese islands. It is up to 100 kilometers wide and moves 65 million cubic meters of water per second at its strongest point. IHI and Nedo have been working on a project to generate electricity through deep-sea current turbines since 2011. In 2017, a small 100-kilowatt generator was installed, which has been running smoothly for three and a half years. The partners have decided to install a significantly larger and more efficient version of the current turbine in the sea by 2030 if this experiment is successful. If successful, deep-sea current turbines could become a reliable green energy source for Japan, with an annual utilization rate of about 70 percent.
While Japan has limited potential for solar and wind power, it has the potential to generate electricity through deep-sea currents. The use of deep-sea current turbines could become a reliable green energy source for Japan, with an annual utilization rate of about 70 percent. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (Nedo) and IHI are working on a project to use deep-sea currents to generate electricity, and a small 100-kilowatt generator has been running smoothly for three and a half years. If successful, a significantly larger and more efficient version of the current turbine will be installed in the sea by 2030.
