Taiwan faces a "difficulty" in promoting offshore wind power, according to government officials speaking at the opening of the three-day Wind Energy Asia exhibition in Kaohsiung yesterday.
"When people hear about promoting renewable energy, they all say ’great!’" Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lien Ching-chang (連錦漳) said. "But when asked whether it would be good to promote it near their homes, they say ’that’s not good.’"
"This is a difficulty faced by local governments," Lien said, adding that he hopes the expo held at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center from yesterday through tomorrow will enable "more communication" on the topic.
Photo: CNA
Despite this challenge, Taiwan has completed six offshore wind farms and installed 374 wind turbines, the vice minister said, making the country a "global leader" in terms of growth in offshore wind power capacity.
Kaohsiung City Government Deputy Secretary-General Wang Chi-chuan (王啟川) also said that Taiwan faces "pressure" in promoting offshore wind power, but such a move is necessary for the country to achieve its net-zero carbon emissions targets.
According to Interplan International Corp (安益國際), which organized the expo taking place in Kaohsiung’s Cianjhen District (前鎮), the event has attracted nearly 50 companies from more than 10 countries, including the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, the US and Singapore.
The expo will feature 15 forums from yesterday to tomorrow on topics including wind farm operations and maintenance, turbine decommissioning and recycling, and heavy cargo maritime transport, Interplan said.
In related news, the Department of Investment Review yesterday approved an application from Orsted Wind Power TW Holdings A/S to invest an additional NT$3.585 billion (US$109.3 million) into its local unit to engage in power generation and other related businesses, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement.
Danish energy company Orsted is developing four offshore wind projects off Changhua County, with a combined capacity of 2.4 gigawatts.
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