Siemens Gamesa was awarded the contract to supply 111 SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbine generators (WTGs) to the Greater Changhua 1 & 2a Offshore Wind Farms. As part of the contractual agreement and per request by Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa committed to accelerating a local nacelle assembly facility, following the final investment decision on the wind farms made by Ørsted in 2019. Siemens Gamesa started assembly work in August 2021, significantly earlier than the localisation timeline announced by the authorities.
According to the contract, Siemens Gamesa also committed to supplying 100% Taiwan-made WTG towers for Greater Changhua 1 & 2a. Under a partnership between Changhua-based local supplier Chin Fong Machine Industrial and Siemens Gamesa’s Korean supplier CS Wind, these towers are being manufactured at Chin Fong’s facilities at the Port of Taichung.
Matthias Bausenwein, President of Ørsted Asia-Pacific, says: “Ørsted is spearheading offshore wind development in Asia-Pacific, leveraging more than 30 years of experience in this industry. In Taiwan, we have, from day one, taken solid steps in building an offshore wind eco-system. This nacelle assembly facility well demonstrates that it takes projects with scale, thorough planning and preparation, and commitment of significant and experienced resources to build a strong supply chain, consisting of competitive local suppliers and international best-in-class suppliers, who are determined to invest in Taiwan.”
Christy Wang, General Manager of Ørsted Taiwan, remarks: “In the supply chain plan that Ørsted submitted in 2019, we made substantial local content commitments, including building a nacelle assembly facility in Taiwan by our wind turbine supplier. Today’s inauguration is excellent evidence that we are going above and beyond local content requirements and highlights the concrete contributions of Ørsted to support long term development of Taiwan’s offshore wind industry. We are delighted to see this important project milestone realised for our Greater Changhua 1 & 2a Offshore Wind Farms, and we look forward to seeing the on time and on quality delivery of the wind turbines and nacelles next year by Siemens Gamesa. “
Marc Becker, CEO of the Offshore Business Unit in Siemens Gamesa, states: “Today’s inauguration demonstrates our pioneering spirit and commitment to leading the offshore wind revolution in the market and the APAC region. Working with dedicated, local professionals, who strive to safely increase the deployment of offshore wind power, energizes us to continue with our global growth plans.”
Niels Steenberg, General Manager of Siemens Gamesa Offshore for Asia-Pacific, adds: “We are very proud to once again deliver on our promises in Taiwan, together with our client, Ørsted, our contractors, as well as central and local authorities, who have contributed and guided us throughout the process. We are confident that with the right policy framework on offshore wind, we will help Taiwan realize a cleaner and more sustainable future. We are looking forward to leveraging this local footprint to serve this purpose and deliver offshore wind nacelles to other projects in the region.”
The facility has created approximately 80 direct nacelle technician jobs. Taiwan’s first WTG nacelle was assembled in early August and the facility will now enter into full operation for Greater Changhua 1 & 2a. In addition, more than 160 tower sections have been delivered and currently stored at the Port of Taichung, ready for Ørsted to kick off WTG installation in Q1 of 2022.
