The “Winds of September Phase 1” project, which has been in development since 2021, will involve the installation of up to 12 floating platforms for an expected capacity of 180 MW. The site is located approximately 23 kilometers offshore from Hsinchu City. A thorough Energy Yield Assessment was conducted, informed by the Floating Lidar Deployment Campaign launched in March 2023. Together with a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process and geophysical surveys to assess key environmental constraints and soil conditions, these efforts have guided the selection and layout design of the project site.
BlueFloat Energy’s approach includes both desktop studies and on-site investigations as well as on-the-ground stakeholder engagement, demonstrating our commitment to rigorous site-specific analysis and ensuring opportunities for cooperation with local communities, including the collaboration with Hsinchu Fishermen Association for the guard vessel support for our FliDAR Campaign.
Michael Pinkerton, BlueFloat Energy Country Manager for Taiwan, said: “The score rankings for Round 3-2 have been released, marking Taiwan’s readiness for entering the era of floating wind. However, timing is critical for successful development: announcing the feed-in tariff and selection rules in Q3–Q4 2024 will give developers the opportunity to conduct site investigations during the 2025 weather window, allowing a Commercial Operation Date (COD) by 2030.”
The collaboration with MIRDC leverages the center’s expertise in advancing Taiwan’s offshore wind supply chain and its years of experience assisting local suppliers in overcoming challenges and aligning with international standards for constructing bottom-fixed offshore wind farms. Combined with BlueFloat Energy’s deep technical expertise in floating wind technology and its global development track record, this partnership aims to assess and support the development of local supply chains, particularly for floating wind technologies, starting with the Demonstration Program, identifying and evaluating 15 potential suppliers for the mooring and anchoring systems through site visits.
“This collaboration focuses on assessing the capabilities of the first and second tiers of Taiwanese suppliers in key packages of floating foundations particularly. This cooperation with BlueFloat Energy marks an important first step for local enterprises in preparing themselves to supply floating wind projects. MIRDC looks forward to enhancing technical capabilities and promoting industry cooperation together with BlueFloat Energy,” stated Lin Jenyi, Chairman of MIRDC.
The collaboration with the MIRDC is intended to demonstrate BlueFloat Energy’s commitment to emphasize the continuity between the Demonstration Program and the future commercial stage. Through the “Winds of September Phase 1”, the adjustments in maritime engineering, port operations, and the supply chain can be delivered early, given Taiwan’s unique natural environment and regulatory conditions. This will serve as a foundation for the “Winds of September—Phase 2″ for participating in Zonal Development R3-3 bidding. The ultimate goal is to accomplish large-scale commercial development of floating technology in Taiwan in order to achieve the country’s offshore wind installation targets for 2035, as the potential for bottom-fixed projects is nearly exhausted.
Carlos Martin, CEO of BlueFloat Energy, further stressed: “Taiwan has been successful in building a strong offshore wind industry from scratch for bottom-fixed projects. We trust that the Taiwanese government will strike the right balance in supporting local companies while seeking economically efficient outcomes and providing investor confidence to international developers. It is important to put in place enabling policies for building a competitive floating wind industry in Taiwan, which could supply new industries at reasonable power prices, thus triggering economic growth and creating jobs in the country.”
