Ørsted Energy Asia-Pacific Wind Power New Technology Alliance Established

On the 23rd, Ørsted announced the formation of the Asia-Pacific Offshore Wind New Technology Alliance in partnership with Taiwanese suppliers. The initiative spans the entire offshore wind project lifecycle—from development and construction to operation and maintenance. Its primary goal is to enhance the technical capabilities of Taiwanese suppliers and unlock vast business opportunities in the Asia-Pacific offshore wind market.

Comprehensive Collaboration Across the Project Lifecycle

Ørsted leads the alliance, which brings together suppliers covering the full lifecycle of offshore wind farms. Current members include:

• COWI Taiwan Co., Ltd., responsible for wind farm design,

• Walsin Energy Cable System Co., Ltd., supplying submarine cables,

• Century Offshore Wind Equipment Co., Ltd., producing suction bucket jacket (SBJ) foundations, and

• CSBC DEME Wind Engineering Co., Ltd., which handles SBJ foundation installation using its Green Jade vessel.

Ørsted aims to expand the alliance by collaborating with additional local suppliers, thereby broadening and deepening strategic partnerships to collectively advance into the Asia-Pacific offshore wind market.

Empowering Local Suppliers

Ørsted Taiwan Chairwoman Jingjie Wang stated:

Suction Bucket Jacket Foundations

Ørsted is leading the Asia-Pacific region in adopting SBJ foundations for its Greater Changhua Southwest Phase 2 and Northwest Offshore Wind Farms, with a combined capacity of 920 MW. These foundations minimize environmental impact during construction by eliminating the need for piling and are fully removable at decommissioning.

Design, manufacturing, and installation of the SBJ technology will be undertaken by COWI Taiwan, Century Offshore Wind Equipment, and CSBC DEME Wind Engineering, respectively. The Greater Changhua Northeast Offshore Wind Farm will serve as a real-world implementation site for cutting-edge global offshore wind standards, further bolstering Taiwan’s technical prowess and track record in offshore wind development.

Local Cable Production for Asia-Pacific

The Greater Changhua Northeast Offshore Wind Farm will also feature locally-produced 275kV submarine cables provided by Walsin Energy Cable System Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Walsin Lihwa. This will be the first facility in Taiwan capable of producing 275kV cables to the highest international standards. The initiative supports localization goals and positions Taiwan as an exporter of advanced submarine cable products to the Asia-Pacific market.

A Decade-Long Commitment to Operations and Maintenance

Ørsted is committed to ensuring stable power generation and asset management over a 30-year operational period. Since 2018, the company has developed a dedicated local operations and maintenance (O&M) team in Taiwan, training nearly 50 local experts. Additionally, Ørsted has invested in building the largest offshore wind O&M center in the Asia-Pacific region at Taichung Port and partnered with Ta San Shang Marine to commission the Ta San Shang Navigator, the world’s first Taiwan-flagged, custom-built O&M vessel. These investments ensure optimal performance across the Greater Changhua offshore wind farms.

Expanding Ørsted’s Asia-Pacific Portfolio

Ørsted’s offshore wind projects under development in the Asia-Pacific region total 6.4 GW in capacity. In addition to Taiwan’s Greater Changhua Northeast Offshore Wind Farm, the portfolio includes:

• 1.6 GW Incheon Offshore Wind Farm in South Korea, which received development approval in November 2023, and

• Gippsland Offshore Wind Farm in Australia, where the government recently granted Ørsted exclusive development rights for Gippsland Zone 1 (2.8 GW), with an additional 2 GW in Gippsland Zone 2 expected to follow soon.

Driving Taiwan’s Offshore Wind Industry Forward

Ørsted looks forward to collaborating with Taiwanese suppliers to seize Asia-Pacific market opportunities. The newly established technology alliance is expected to usher in a new era for Taiwan’s offshore wind industry and contribute significantly to the energy transition in the Asia-Pacific region.

Translated from: 沃旭能源亞太風電新技術聯盟成軍 | 產業動態 | 商情 | 經濟日報