Ørsted has signed an agreement with Port of Taichung for a construction and operations and maintenance facility for the Greater Changhua offshore windfarms
It signed the deal with Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC), which manages the port, and TIPC Marine Construction, respectively.
The wharf the offshore wind developer leases at Port of Taichung will be upgraded and used to construct the Greater Changhua offshore windfarms. The site will also serve as the O&M base for the projects from 2022 onwards.
The Greater Changhua windfarms are located approximately 35-60 km off the coast of Changhua County. The Port of Taichung has been selected as the most suitable O&M base for them due to its proximity, water depth and facilities.
Ørsted said it will invest ‘significantly’ in building an environmentally friendly O&M base at the port.
In accordance with the construction timeline for Greater Changhua 1 & 2a, Ørsted has already begun to upgrade the wharf to be ready to store components such as pin piles, towers and blades. The lease will cover the period during which Ørsted plans to install at least 1.82 GW of offshore wind capacity in Taiwan.
Ørsted Asia Pacific president Matthias Bausenwein said, “The 20-year lease with the Port of Taichung shows our long-term commitment to developing and implementing the projects in Changhua County.
“We want to ensure we are well-prepared for further offshore wind development in Taiwan by upgrading infrastructure for construction and operation work. We expect that, during the O&M phase, the Greater Changhua windfarms will create several hundred local direct and indirect jobs with our contractors and suppliers. These efforts are a win-win situation for the development of the offshore wind industry and local communities.”
Construction of the O&M building will begin in 2020, with expected inauguration in 2022. Designed by the MAA Group, the building will be a ‘green building’ with a gold rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
It will be constructed in accordance with similar European design principles and fitted with green solutions such as recycling rainwater, applying local green materials, solar panels and charging stations for electric vehicles.
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.