Asian pacesetter Taiwan piles on more offshore wind thanks to Japanese power giant

JERA completes turbine installation at 376MW Formosa 2 array as most ambitious regional build programme outside China gains speed

Taiwan is the regional offshore pacesetter outside mainland China.
Taiwan is the regional offshore pacesetter outside mainland China.Foto: Shutterstock

Japanese utility JERA has completed the installation of 47 turbines at the 376MW Formosa 2 array, the second utility-scale offshore wind farm poised to enter service in Asian offshore wind pacesetter Taiwan.

Danish peer Orsted late last year was completing its 900MW Greater Changhua 1&2a offshore wind farm after feeding first power to the grid in the spring of 2022.

The two wind farms are from a first 5.5GW wave of projects slated to be operational by 2025 off the island, which has the most advanced offshore wind sector in Asia outside mainland China.

Previously only smaller pilot wind farms have been completed off Taiwan, such as the 128MW Formosa 1 array.

JERA with a 49%-stake since 2020 has been the largest shareholder of Formosa 2, with Macquarie’s Green Investment Group owning another 26%, and Synera Renewable Energy the remaining 25%.

The Japanese utility said Formosa 2 is poised to begin full-scale generation to the grid, and later this year will achieve full commercial operation.

The company is advancing the up-to 2GW Formosa 3 project off Taiwan, and in December was successful with a joint bid with Denmark-based CIP in the latest offshore wind tendering round on the island with its 500-600MW Fengmiao project off Taichung.

JERA is also active in the emerging domestic Japanese offshore wind market, where it has formed a joint venture with BW Ideol last year to co-develop floating wind projects.

JERA is a joint venture of Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) and Chubu Electric Power, and has set out its stall as a major player in offshore wind and other renewables at home and abroad as it pursues a goal to have 5GW of clean capacity in place by 2025.

Somewhat behind Taiwan, Japan this week also entered the offshore wind big-league, with developer Marubeni announcing its 140MW Akita & Noshiro nearshore project is feeding first power into the grid.
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Published 1 February 2023, 15:55Updated 1 February 2023, 15:55
Asia-PacificTaiwanJera