Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara said the launch marks a“new era in the use of renewable energy”. He also said that Japan aims tocommercialise floating offshore wind as quickly as possible.

The new 2MW turbine, which is mounted on a platform provided byconstruction services specialist Toda, will be tested for at least 18 months aspart of a five-year demonstration project.

Itsoriginal planned launch date earlier this month was delayed by typhoons.