Proteus 1.1MW tidal turbine certified and operational in Japan

Bristol-based Proteus Marine Renewables’ 1.1MW tidal turbine — the AR1100 — has officially received certification from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the national authority responsible for regulating energy infrastructure and technology. The certification confirms the system meets Japan’s regulatory standards for power generation, marking another important step forward for tidal energy in the country. The turbine is now successfully exporting power to the national grid.

This achievement follows a rigorous review and testing process by METI, verifying the AR1100’s operational safety and reliability. Certification was granted after successful performance demonstrations under a range of tidal conditions, including safe shutdown procedures, grid compliance, and emergency response capabilities.

This milestone builds on the earlier success of the AR500 pilot project in 2021, where a 500kW device achieved 97% turbine availability in Japanese waters. Leveraging its modular design, Proteus upgraded the turbine with advanced pitch and yaw control systems and other key enhancements boosting performance and efficiency to achieve a 1.1MW rated capacity.

Long-term commitment
As a Series 2 turbine, the AR1100 represents the next stage in Proteus’s roadmap for scaling tidal power and serves as the forerunner to the AR3000 — the company’s most powerful turbine to date, scheduled for deployment in 2028. The AR1100’a success reinforces Proteus’s long-term commitment to the Japanese market and its broader mission to accelerate the adoption of sustainable marine energy worldwide.

Drew Blaxland, Proteus Marine Renewables’ CEO, said: “Receiving METI certification is a major milestone — not only for Proteus, but for tidal energy in Japan. It confirms the AR1100 series 2’s compliance with Japan’s rigorous safety and technical standards and demonstrates that tidal power is now a viable, scalable solution for clean electricity generation.”

This deployment forms part of a long-standing collaboration between Proteus and Kyuden Mirai Energy Co, Inc (KME) that is the representative company for this project, aimed at supporting Japan’s renewable energy transition and demonstrating how tidal energy can become a reliable part of Japan’s future energy mix.

Philip Archer, managing director of Proteus Operations Japan, added: “We have operated in Japanese waters before, so we know just how demanding the conditions can be. Seeing the AR1100 successfully installed, certified, and starting to deliver power to the grid is a very satisfying moment for our team. It also shows how far the technology has come — and gives us valuable insight and validation as we prepare for the next step with the AR3000. The success shows what is possible as we continue to scale up.”

Following the success of this deployment, Proteus and KME are now exploring additional opportunities to expand tidal generation capacity in Japan.