Wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA yesterday inaugurated Taiwan’s first nacelle assembly plant at the Port of Taichung, its first assembly facility for offshore nacelles outside Europe.
Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津), a long-time champion of Taiwan’s ambitions to become a regional hub in the offshore wind farm industry, described the plant as a “milestone” at a ceremony at the plant.
“The completion of Siemens Gamesa’s nacelle assembly plant is a milestone for the development of the offshore wind farm industry in Taiwan and a step toward localizing the supply chain,” Shen said.
Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times
“This is only the beginning. My great hope is for the company to continue to increase the level of local content for its nacelle assemblies,” he said.
The plant early last month completed the first made in Taiwan offshore wind turbine nacelle assembly.
Siemens Gamesa said its output would initially satisfy orders from Orsted A/S’ 900 megawatt Greater Changhua 1 & 2a Offshore Wind Farms projects.
Photo: Chang Hsuan–che, Taipei Times
Taiwan’s stage 3 offshore wind farm development plan calls for all nacelle assemblies to be made locally from next year.
However, Orsted Taiwan general manager Christy Wang (汪欣潔) said that the company is going “above and beyond local content requirements.”
“We look forward to on-time and on-quality delivery of wind turbines and nacelles next year,” Wang said.
Orsted A/S awarded the contract for the Changhua projects to Siemens Gamesa and asked it to accelerate the local assembly facility.
As a result, the locally made nacelles are expected to arrive significantly earlier than the government planned.
“We are very proud to once again deliver on our promises in Taiwan, together with our client Orsted, our contractors, and central and local authorities who have contributed and guided us throughout the process,” Siemens Gamesa Offshore for Asia-Pacific general manager Niels Steenberg said.
“With the right policy framework” the Taichung plant will eventually take on projects throughout the Asia-Pacific region, Steenberg said.
The plant has created approximately 80 direct nacelle technician jobs, the company said.
More than 160 tower sections have already been delivered and are stored at the port, it said, adding that the company is “on track” to deliver turbines to Orsted Taiwan for installation in the first quarter of next year.
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