Taiwan's Offshore Wind Power Installed Capacity Exceeds 2GW in 2023
Mar 14, 2024
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) provides the public with information on Taiwan's offshore wind power achievements in 2023. With a total of 2.25 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind farms completed, Taiwan not only leads among democratic nations in the Asia-Pacific region but also stands out globally as one of the few countries to surpass the 2 GW mark in offshore wind installations.
According to the data from Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), offshore wind power development in various countries has been significantly affected by COVID-19 since 2019. Nations including the UK, Germany, People's Republic of China, Spain, Italy, and other European countries have also been affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Despite these challenges, Taiwan's wind farms have persevered to complete construction. The outcomes reflect the dedication of various government agencies and the employees thereof, and all partners involved in offshore wind energy endeavors.
The MOEA underscores that, apart from international factors, Taiwan's restricted weather windows allow for only a 6- to 7-months construction period per year; moreover, the MOEA thus offers a one-year grace period of grid connection for Phase 2 developers in administrative contracts. Despite the impact of multiple typhoons in 2023, which affected the progress of wind farm construction, the construction teams persisted, optimizing weather windows and striving for continuous construction. By the end of 2023, 283 wind turbines were installed, reaching a cumulative installed capacity of 2.25 GW, and meeting the original 2023 offshore wind power installation target of 2.03 to 2.43 GW.
The MOEA emphasizes that offshore wind power is an important green energy action for the government to achieve energy transition. The Energy Administration collaborates with wind farm developers to form task forces tracking project progress monthly and cooperates with various government agencies to overcome obstacles. Through public and private sectors cooperation, the goal for 2024 is to install 314 to 374 wind turbines, targeting a total installed capacity of 2.56 to 3.04 GW. As the competent authority, the MOEA has provided explicit market opportunities for offshore wind power, welcomes foreign investment to Taiwan, and encourages internationally experienced developers to cooperate with domestic enterprises and jointly build a domestic offshore wind power supply chain.