The grid integration of wind energy is an important issue in Japan. Offshore wind development is likely to play an important role in overcoming the limitations of the grid integration of wind energy. This article describes the results from a joint research project by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the University of Tokyo, including wind resource assessment using a mesoscale meteorological model and a geographical information system (GIS).
           
By Takeshi Ishihara and Atsushi Yamaguchi, University of Tokyo, Japan