Taiwan takes step toward floating wind with deepwater pilot projects

According to a 6 July 2022 presentation by the MOEA, Taiwan’s Offshore Wind Policy: Outlook for Floating Offshore Wind, the Ministry plans to provide funding for turbines and windfarms "to encourage pioneering projects."

The MOEA has conducted an evaluation of areas that might be suitable for floating wind. Sensitive sea areas have been excluded from the evaluation, which focused on areas where the water depth is greater than 50 m.

The presentation noted that Taiwan’s zonal development mechanism doesn’t impose restrictions on the type of turbine or foundation used. The presentation said the MOEA has drafted a Floating Offshore Wind Power Demonstration Incentive Programme and wants to "verify the feasibility of regulations, technology and infrastructure."

Industry sources have suggested commercial-scale floating wind projects are unlikely to be constructed in Taiwan before the end of the decade, although a handful of projects have already been proposed. Until the announcement by the MOEA, it was unclear if the authorities in Taiwan would enable an auction mechanism that might support the introduction of floating wind.

More recently, floating wind developer BlueFloat Energy confirmed that it is targeting the offshore wind market in Taiwan with a 1-GW project it intends to bid into the country’s Round 3 auctions.

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