Asia | August 15, 2025
AR1100 turbine in Naru Strait now delivers clean, predictable tidal power to Japan’s grid, marking a major step in renewable energy.
Image credit: Arild Lilleboe / Shutterstock.com
Japan, Naru Strait: Japan has connected its first megawatt-scale tidal power system to the national grid, marking a major step for the country’s renewable energy sector.
The 1.1 MW AR1100 turbine, designed by UK firm Proteus Marine Renewables, is now operating beneath the waves of the Naru Strait near the Goto Islands. It is the first tidal unit of its scale in Japan to supply electricity directly to homes and businesses.
The project is a partnership between Proteus and Kyuden Mirai Energy and has received full certification from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), confirming it meets national grid standards.
The AR1100 builds on the success of Proteus’s earlier AR500 model, which operated at the same site in 2021 with 97 % availability. The upgraded system features a horizontal-axis rotor with three composite blades, pitch control for efficiency, and a nacelle that rotates with the reversing tides, changing direction four times a day in the region.
Power from the turbine is transmitted via a subsea cable to shore, where it enters the grid without the need for storage.
Proteus CEO Drew Blaxland said the project demonstrates tidal power’s scalability, while Kyuden Mirai Energy sees potential for similar systems along Japan’s coasts.
Tidal energy offers predictable, weather-independent electricity generation, and the AR1100 is being seen as proof that Japan’s coastal waters could play a bigger role in its clean energy future.
Source: blanquivioletas.com
#Japan#Kyuden Mirai Energy#Proteus Marine Renewables#renewable energy#tidal power#turbine
AloJapan.com