The Bureau of Energy and Industrial Development Bureau in Taiwan have confirmed that the country’s next round of offshore wind procurement, Round 3, will be significantly larger than expected
They have confirmed they will seek capacity additions of 15 GW between 2026 and 2035, rather than the 10 GW originally anticipated.
The new targets were announced after a meeting on 11 May 2021. The 15-GW target is broken down into tranches of up to 1.5 GW a year from 2026 to 2035, although developers bidding to build projects will be limited to 500 MW of capacity per project per year.
It was previously anticipated that 1.0 GW of new capacity would be auctioned every year. The first auction, for offshore windfarms to become operational in 2026/2027, is expected to take place in 2022.
Capacity due to become operational in 2028/2029 would be the subject of bids beginning in 2023.
As expected, local content requirements are also set to change, with more components to be manufactured locally including, in Round 3, components for offshore substations and additional turbine components.
Responding to the announcement, the Global Wind Energy Council said, “The global wind industry welcomes Taiwan’s increased ambition for offshore wind in Round 3, which builds on the momentum and interest in this emerging offshore wind market.
“This raised ambition will support an increase in inward investment, both for developing new offshore wind projects, but also for building the local supply chain.
“This will in turn will create sustainable, high-quality, local jobs and new industrial opportunities in coastal communities. This is a real win-win for the offshore wind industry and the people of Taiwan.”
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