- Organised by the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the Global Offshore Wind Energy Summit -Taiwan (GOWST) 2021 has attracted over 1000 audiences physically and virtually
- The challenges and opportunities going forward for offshore wind in Taiwan will be discussed in the C-Suite executive panel with nine industry leaders and government officials
- The summit continued to explore new horizons for Taiwan offshore wind development under the theme “Sustainable growth of Taiwan’s offshore wind industry in the Asian Pacific market,” including regional supply chain collaboration in APAC, upscaling port infrastructure, and generating renewable hydrogen from offshore wind.
- Already a leading country in the region, Taiwan is positioned to be the largest offshore wind market in Asia, excluding mainland China, with offshore wind power generation capacity expected to reach 15GW over 10 years between 2026 and 2035
- Taiwan is projected to support the creation of over 20,000 jobs and attract around US$30 billion in inward investment by 2025. By 2035, the investment is expected to reach US$90 billion and create an estimated 57,000 jobs
Organised by the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the Global Offshore Wind Energy Summit -Taiwan (GOWST) 2021 was a great success, attended by an audience of 1,480 physically and virtually, at Grand Hyatt Taipei Hotel featuring high level policymakers, offshore wind leaders, port authorities, and supply chain stakeholders to power the growth of Taiwan’s well-positioned offshore wind market in Asia Pacific Region. The annual flagship event is co-organised by the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC).
Shen Jong-Chin, Vice Premier of Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan), commented: “Taiwan’s offshore wind power promotion has achieved remarkable results. So far, two wind farms have been completed, and the local supply chain capacity established. In addition to completing the planned wind farm construction, Taiwan will continue to promote the Round 3 zonal development to ensure the supply of green power required for manufacturing exports. I look forward to deepening exchanges with international partners to join the Asian market in the near future.”
Taiwan’s offshore wind power promotion has achieved remarkable results. So far, two wind farms have been completed, and the local supply chain capacity established. In addition to completing the planned wind farm construction, Taiwan will continue to promote the Round 3 zonal development to ensure the supply of green power required for manufacturing exports. I look forward to deepening exchanges with international partners to join the Asian market in the near future. Shen Jong-Chin, Vice Premier of Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan) Tweet
Wang Mei-Hua, Minister of Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. (Taiwan), said: “Offshore wind power is an important key to achieving net zero carbon emissions in Taiwan. In order to ensure that offshore wind power meets the target as scheduled by 2025, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has formulated an epidemic prevention plan to assist wind farm construction personnel to come to Taiwan. On the premise of prioritizing epidemic prevention, we aim to minimize the impact of the epidemic on the progress of wind farm construction. We hope that we can continue to have good interaction with global partners in the future to jointly promote the development of offshore wind power in Taiwan.”
Offshore wind power is an important key to achieving net zero carbon emissions in Taiwan. In order to ensure that offshore wind power meets the target as scheduled by 2025, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has formulated an epidemic prevention plan to assist wind farm construction personnel to come to Taiwan. On the premise of prioritizing epidemic prevention, we aim to minimize the impact of the epidemic on the progress of wind farm construction. We hope that we can continue to have good interaction with global partners in the future to jointly promote the development of offshore wind power in Taiwan. Wang Mei-Hua, Minister of Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. (Taiwan) Tweet
In his opening remarks, ECCT Vice Chairman Giuseppe Izzo said: “The next phase of offshore wind energy development in Taiwan will require overcoming the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic as well as Taiwan’s upscaling Taiwan’s port infrastructure. The pandemic has shown us that Taiwan needs to speed up the renewable energy build out in order to decrease reliance on imported fossil fuels and increase its energy security. But there are also great business opportunities for regional cooperation and in new business areas, such as producing green hydrogen using wind energy.”
The next phase of offshore wind energy development in Taiwan will require overcoming the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic as well as Taiwan’s upscaling Taiwan’s port infrastructure. The pandemic has shown us that Taiwan needs to speed up the renewable energy build out in order to decrease reliance on imported fossil fuels and increase its energy security. But there are also great business opportunities for regional cooperation and in new business areas, such as producing green hydrogen using wind energy.Giuseppe Izzo, Vice Chairman, European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) Tweet
MOTC Deputy Minister Chi Wen-jong said: “Offshore wind power is now a focus of Taiwan’s energy policy. MOTC not only provides lands and wharfs for turbine assembly, transportation, and component manufacturing, but also wishes to increase the participation of domestic shipping industry and maritime engineering industry, through the participation of TIPC and MOTCMPB. MOTC looks forward to working with MOEA to achieve the localization of offshore wind power industry, while ensuring navigation safety.”
Offshore wind power is now a focus of Taiwan’s energy policy. MOTC not only provides lands and wharfs for turbine assembly, transportation, and component manufacturing, but also wishes to increase the participation of domestic shipping industry and maritime engineering industry, through the participation of TIPC and MOTCMPB. MOTC looks forward to working with MOEA to achieve the localization of offshore wind power industry, while ensuring navigation safety. Chi Wen-Jong, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Tweet
Ben Backwell, CEO at GWEC, commented: “Taiwan will continue to be an Offshore Wind leader in Asia. Its success has inspired other Asian countries to deploy offshore wind as part of their green energy transition. Following its success, Taiwan will need to develop a long-term infrastructure strategy, especially the ports, to accommodate the huge volume of offshore wind projects in the pipeline and prepare for next generation technologies such as sector coupling of wind-based hydrogen production.”
Taiwan will continue to be an Offshore Wind leader in Asia. Its success has inspired other Asian countries to deploy offshore wind as part of their green energy transition. Following its success, Taiwan will need to develop a long-term infrastructure strategy, especially the ports, to accommodate the huge volume of offshore wind projects in the pipeline and prepare for next generation technologies such as sector coupling of wind-based hydrogen production.” Ben Backwell, CEO, GWEC Tweet
Already a leading country in the region, Taiwan is well-position for future growth in the wind energy market. In the C-Suite executive panel discussion, the moderator Maya Malik, Senior Advisor of the Global Offshore Wind Task Force (GWEC), led a lively discussion among nine industry leaders and government officials on the challenges and opportunities going forward for offshore wind in Taiwan. Yu Cheng-Wei, Director-General of the Bureau of Energy (BOE) at the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), and Yang Chih-Ching, Deputy Director-General of the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) at the MOEA, expressed that the round 3 rules will help accelerate green energy trading market in Taiwan and encourage more CPPAs to be signed between the developers and Taiwan companies. This would benefit both the offshore wind industry and Taiwan companies who must decarbonise for global supply chain compliance. Lee Hsien-Yi, TIPC Chairman, and Yeh Hsieh-long, Director General of Maritime Port Bureau, MOTC introduced their port infrastructure plans to support round 3 development. Alex Robertson, Vice President & General Manager of Vestas Taiwan pointed out the need for urgent investment in the Taichung Harbor, which is critical for the industry to produce the next generation offshore turbines in Taiwan. Productive suggestions on Taiwan’s localisation and ports infrastructure for Round 3 starting in 2026 were proposed by Weiwei Tseng, Board Member and Director of wpd Taiwan, Christy Wang, General Manager of Ørsted Taiwan, Niels Steenberg, Chairman and Managing Director of Siemens Gamesa, and Marina Hsu, Managing Director of CiP Taiwan.
The summit continued to explore new horizons for Taiwan offshore wind development under the theme “Sustainable growth of Taiwan’s offshore wind industry in the Asian Pacific market,” including regional supply chain collaboration in APAC, upscaling port infrastructure, and generating renewable hydrogen from offshore wind. Jin Kato, Chairman of JWPA, and Choi Woojin, Vice Chairman of KWEIA, and Sanjeet Sanghera Global Head of BloombergNEF updated policies and challenges facing new offshore wind markets in Japan, Korea, and the globe, while Liming Qiao, Head of GWEC Asia, introduced the North Sea supply chain collaboration model, which may be applicable to the Asia Pacific region. Jasper Bank, CCO of Port Esbjerg and Chung Ying-feng, Vice President of TIPC, shared their strategy for sustainable port operations. Jasper Bank further elaborated how Esbjerg has evolved from Denmark’s principal fishing harbour into Europe’s leading port for offshore wind turbines. Andrew Ho at Ørsted Asia-Pacific, revealed the EU’s ambitious target for producing renewable hydrogen, mainly from excess offshore wind power, to 6GW by 2026 and 40GW by 2040. The last speaker from TÜV Rheinland Hydrogen Technology Competence Center, Norbert Heidelmann, stressed that the policy setting and internationally recognised certification of differentiating green from grey hydrogen are drivers of renewable hydrogen development.
According to GWEC Market Intelligence’s latest market outlook, Taiwan is positioned to be the largest offshore wind market in Asia, excluding mainland China. Taiwan’s offshore wind power generation capacity is expected to reach 15GW over 10 years between 2026 and 2035. As a result, Taiwan is projected to support the creation of over 20,000 jobs and attract around US$30 billion in inward investment by 2025. By 2035, the investment is expected to reach US$90 billion and create an estimated 57,000 jobs, transforming Taiwan into a green leader in the region.
