Goto Floating Wind Farm LLC’s offshore wind power project off Goto City, Nagasaki commences commercial operation

Baker & McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) (“Baker McKenzie”) is pleased to announce that Goto Floating Wind Farm LLC Consortium (“Goto”)’s 16.8 MW floating offshore wind power project off the coast of Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture commenced commercial operation in January this year. Baker McKenzie helped make this possible by providing legal advice to Goto on the drafting of various contracts and other matters.

The power plant is the first project in Japan to be certified under the Renewable Sea Area Utilization Law enacted in April 2019. Its eight 2.1 MW units also make it the first multi-unit commercial floating offshore wind farm in Japan and its hybrid spar-type floating foundations — designed by Toda Corporation — are the first of their kind in the world.

The Baker McKenzie team was led by Naoaki “Nick” Eguchi, Head of the Tokyo office’s Renewable Energy Group, and Partner Masabumi Tamagawa, with the support of Counsel Takehito Sekiguchi and Senior Associate Mana Isobe.

“The commencement of commercial operation by this floating offshore wind farm is a groundbreaking milestone that opens up the future of floating offshore wind in Japan,” Nick commented. “We’re honored to have been involved in this historic project. We expect it to significantly contribute to the local community and Japan’s decarbonization efforts, and believe it will pave the way for further development of floating offshore wind projects in Japan’s EEZ.”

Please click here to read a press release announcing the project in 2022.