Vestas completes turbine setup at Hibikinada offshore wind farm in Japan

The farm is expected to generate around 500 million kWh per year, equivalent to the consumption of nearly 170,000 households and around 40% of the domestic needs of the city of Kitakyushu. Commercial operation is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2025. The project is led by Hibiki Wind Energy, which brings together Kyuden Mirai Energy, J-Power, Hokutaku, Saibu Gas and Kyudenko. Selected in 2017 by the city of Kitakyushu following a public tender, the consortium then conducted extensive studies on wind resources, the marine environment and construction methods before obtaining the necessary permits.
Work began in March 2023 with the construction of the offshore foundations, followed by the laying of submarine cables and finally the installation of the turbines.

Technical challenges overcome

The installation of the wind farm required a fleet of specialised vessels. Construction began with the installation of the foundations, consisting of steel piles driven into the seabed using pile-driving vessels, then reinforced by jacket structures manufactured onshore and transported to the site by floating crane vessels. At the same time, submarine cables were laid by specialised vessels to interconnect the turbines and connect them to the grid. In order to reduce the time spent at sea, a significant amount of pre-assembly work was carried out on land, with the towers, nacelles and blades being prepared before being transferred to the offshore area. The actual offshore installation was then carried out using self-elevating platforms (SEPs), which enabled the various components to be lifted and positioned accurately and safely. Finally, substations built onshore were integrated into the system, ensuring that the electricity generated was transmitted to the Kyushu Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Co. grid.

once the farm is operational, a base port for maintenance (O&M) will facilitate operations and interventions, notably via crew transfer vessels (CTVs). With the completion of the Hibikinada farm, Vestas has confirmed its ability to successfully deliver major offshore wind projects in Asia. In 2025, the company reached a new milestone in Taiwan with the Fengmiao I project (495 MW), developed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). This offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Taichung, will deploy 33 V236-15.0 MW turbines. This type of turbine is manufactured at the Polish assembly plant in Szczecin, which produces hubs and nacelles.

Reinforcement in Central Europe

At the beginning of September, Vestas was involved in another development with the acquisition of an onshore blade factory in Poland. The company has taken over the operations of the Goleniów factory near Szczecin, which previously belonged to LM Wind Power. This acquisition marks a new stage in Vestas’ strategic expansion in Europe in terms of industrial presence and supply chain, in order to meet future demand and contribute to Europe’s growing need for safe, affordable and sustainable energy. The factory was established in 2009, expanded in 2017, and will continue to supply blades for Vestas’ onshore wind solutions.

“Strengthening our manufacturing capacity is essential to meet Europe’s need for secure, affordable, and sustainable energy, and expand our industrial competitiveness. The addition of the Goleniów factory reinforces our commitment to scaling the wind industry and it underlines how Europe can spur wind industry investments and jobs with the right long-term policy commitments for wind energy” said Felix Henseler, Vestas’ Chief Technology and Operations Officer.

All 400 former LM Wind Power employees have been retained, bringing Vestas’ total workforce in Poland to nearly 2,000. Together with the Szczecin factory, which manufactures hubs and nacelles for the V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbine, these two sites strengthen Vestas’ ability to serve onshore and offshore markets in Europe and around the world. The company firmly believes in the potential of the Polish market and remains committed to investing in local manufacturing to support the region’s energy ambitions.