Ørsted Fears Delay of Offshore Wind Auctions in Japan

Matthias Bausenwein, president of Ørsted Asia-Pacific, told Reuters that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will not affect the company’s confidence in making investment decisions but is likely to push back project timelines.

Last month, Ørsted and Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, officially created a JV, called Choshi Offshore Wind Farm KK, to make a joint bid in the Round 1 auction once the government of Japan formally designates the Choshi-city offshore wind promotion area.

According to Bausenwein, Ørsted is not entering Japan just for a single project and plans to stay for a long time. The company, however, is not currently discussing other schemes with new partners.

In Taiwan, Ørsted’s existing projects have not yet experienced an impact, but this could happen over time, Bausenwein has added.