Bristol-based Proteus Marine Renewables has achieved a major milestone with its 1.1MW tidal turbine, the AR1100, which is now certified and fully operational in Japan. The country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has officially approved the turbine, confirming it meets all national standards for power generation. The turbine is already supplying electricity to Japan’s national grid.
The certification comes after a detailed review by METI, which tested the turbine under various tidal conditions. The AR1100 passed safety checks, grid compliance assessments, and emergency shutdown tests, proving its reliability and performance.
This development builds on Proteus’s earlier success with the AR500, a 500kW pilot turbine deployed in Japanese waters in 2021. That project achieved a 97% availability rate. Since then, Proteus has used its modular design to improve the technology, adding advanced pitch and yaw control systems to increase efficiency and reach the AR1100’s 1.1MW capacity.
A Step Toward Larger Projects
The AR1100 is part of Proteus’s Series 2 turbine range and serves as a stepping stone toward its larger AR3000 model, which is expected to launch in 2028. This successful deployment highlights Proteus’s long-term commitment to Japan and its goal of making tidal energy a major part of the global clean energy mix.
“Receiving METI certification is a major milestone — not only for Proteus, but for tidal energy in Japan,” said Drew Blaxland, CEO of Proteus Marine Renewables. “It confirms the AR1100’s compliance with Japan’s strict technical and safety standards. It also shows that tidal energy is a realistic and scalable option for clean power.”
Strong Local Partnership
The project is part of an ongoing partnership between Proteus and Kyuden Mirai Energy Co., Inc. (KME), which leads the initiative. The collaboration supports Japan’s shift to renewable energy and demonstrates how tidal power can play a reliable role in the country’s future energy supply.
Philip Archer, managing director of Proteus Operations Japan, said, “We’ve worked in Japanese waters before and understand how challenging the conditions can be. Seeing the AR1100 installed, certified, and delivering power is a proud moment for our team. It shows how far we’ve come — and prepares us for the next phase with the AR3000.”
Following this successful deployment, Proteus and KME are now exploring ways to expand tidal energy capacity in Japan.
