Enercon GmbH, the largest wind turbine supplier in Germany, last week opened its Asia-Pacific operational hub in Taiwan, eyeing the nation’s booming renewable energy market.
The regional hub began operations on Friday and aims to invest about NT$8 billion (US$264.2 million) over the next 10 years to transform its Taipei office into a marketing center.
The budget will also be used for personnel training to turn the local office into a regional research and development and maintenance center for Enercon, the company said.
Enercon accounts for more than 60 percent of land-based wind turbines built in Taiwan. The firm has installed 213 land-based wind turbines with a capacity of 463 megawatts.
Ministry of Economic Affairs Department of Investment Services Director-General Wang Jien-ping (王劍平) said during the inauguration ceremony that Enercon’s presence is welcome.
Taiwan wants to take advantage of Enercon’s experience in wind energy development to advance its bid to become a center for renewable energy production, Wang said, adding that the 10-year investment plan was affirmed when the company signed a letter of intent with the ministry earlier this month.
Enercon Taiwan Ltd (台灣艾納康) managing director Bart Linssen said that Taiwan has great potential for land-based wind turbines and the company has set its sights on the market.
In addition, Linssen said that local governments in Taiwan have voiced their support for renewable energy development, reinforcing Enercon’s determination to build a regional hub in the country.
While the government has set a goal of building 1.2 gigawatts (GW) in land-based wind turbines by 2025, Linssen said he is looking beyond that, adding that Taiwan’s market is expected to accommodate 5GW to 10GW in production capacity.
The cost of building land-based wind turbines is lower than for offshore wind turbines, paving the way for higher returns, Linssen said.
While the German firm produces a majority of the components for its wind turbines, Linssen said it would likely outsource the production of components such as blades and motors to Taiwanese suppliers.
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