Global offshore wind developer Orsted Taiwan Ltd (沃旭能源) has resumed construction of two major offshore wind farms after obtaining permits and environmental impact assessment approval, it said on Thursday.
Located about 35km to 60km off Changhua County, Greater Changhua 1 and 2a, with capacity of 900 megawatts, are to provide power to 1 million homes when they join the grid next year.
“Orsted would begin laying export and array cables, and installing offshore substations and foundations this year, and proceed with turbine installation next year,” the company said.
“After nearly 1,800 days of relentless hard work, we are now ready to commence all offshore installation,” Orsted Taiwan general manager Christy Wang (汪欣潔) said. “This is not an easy task, especially with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In addition to the pandemic, the project also encountered snags in the environmental impact assessment process, as a Taiwanese humpback dolphin’s habitat is just 30km from the project.
After five failed preliminary meetings, the project was finally approved after Orsted proposed a “cocktail approach to noise reduction,” to prevent disturbing the endangered cetaceans.
According to the Animal Welfare Institute, there are about 75 Taiwanese humpback dolphins left, and they live exclusively in shallow waters off the west coast.
“Bubble curtains” and other noise-mitigating devices would be used to reduce sounds from the wind farms to below 160 decibels, while underwater construction would only take place after 30 minutes of no observed dolphin activity.
Orsted’s suppliers have recruited the Taiwan Cetacean Observers, certified by the Ocean Conservation Administration, to monitor the dolphins, it said.
The group’s members include Changhua fishers and non-governmental organizations, it added.
During peak construction times, Orsted estimates that there would be more than 25 vessels mobilized near the farms, including crew transfer vessels, installation and support vessels, service operation boats and guard vessels, meaning 500 to 800 people would be working on the site simultaneously, it said.
Twenty-one Taiwanese technicians are training to start working from Orsted’s new operations and maintenance base at the Port of Taichung next year, it added.
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