Taiwan Inaugurates 900 MW Offshore Wind Farm, Boosting Net-Zero Goals

President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan announced the completion of the 900 MW Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the country's transition to renewable energy. The wind farms, developed by Danish energy company Ørsted, are now fully operational and connected to Taiwan's electricity grid, making them the largest offshore wind project in Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the Port of Taichung, was attended by President Tsai, government officials, and representatives from Ørsted and the project's investors, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and Cathay Private Equity (Cathay PE). In her speech, President Tsai thanked Ørsted for investing in Taiwan and bringing renewable technologies to the country, recalling her visit to the first two demonstration wind turbines at Formosa 1 eight years ago. "It took eight years to turn the words 'energy transition' into actual wind farms in operation," she said.

The Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms, which began construction in March 2021, feature 111 Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 900 MW. The 605.2 MW Greater Changhua 1 is co-owned by Ørsted and Mercury Taiwan Holdings, while the 294.8 MW Greater Changhua 2a is 100% owned by Ørsted. The wind farms are part of Ørsted's Greater Changhua offshore wind zone, which has a combined capacity of approximately 2.4 GW.

Why this matters: The completion of the Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms is a significant step towards Taiwan's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The renewable energy generated by these wind farms will help reduce Taiwan's reliance on fossil fuels and establish the country as a leader in the global clean energy transition.

Ørsted's Group President and CEO, Mads Nipper, described the Greater Changhua 1 and 2a wind farms as a landmark achievement for both Ørsted and Taiwan, stating that they are the company's first gigawatt-scale offshore wind farms outside of Europe and the largest of their kind in the Asia-Pacific region. "The Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms reaffirm Taiwan's position as a frontrunner in the region for offshore wind," Nipper said.

The 900 MW wind farms can power one million Taiwanese households and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.75 million tonnes annually. Ørsted is also constructing the 920 MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms, further expanding its renewable energy portfolio in Taiwan. With nearly 3 GW of wind projects under construction and over 22 GW under development, Taiwan is set to significantly increase its offshore wind capacity in the coming years.

Key Takeaways

• Taiwan's 900 MW Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms now fully operational
• Largest offshore wind project in Taiwan and Asia-Pacific region, developed by Ørsted
• Supports Taiwan's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, reducing fossil fuel reliance
• Ørsted also constructing 920 MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms
• Taiwan set to significantly increase offshore wind capacity, with 3 GW under construction