Orsted has marked a momentous occasion with the inauguration of the Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms off the coast of Taiwan. With both wind farms fully operational and seamlessly connected to the grid, Taiwan's offshore wind capacity has now doubled, propelling the nation further towards its clean energy goals.
The inauguration ceremony, held at Orsted's operations and maintenance hub at the Port of Taichung, saw a distinguished guest list, including President Tsai Ing-wen, high-ranking officials, representatives from foreign offices in Taipei, and key stakeholders from the wind farm investors, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and Cathay Private Equity (Cathay PE), among others.
Mads Nipper, Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Orsted, highlighted the significance of this milestone, stating, “With today's inauguration, we're celebrating a landmark achievement for Ørsted and for Taiwan. Greater Changhua 1 and 2a are our first gigawatt-scale offshore wind farms outside of Europe. They're also Taiwan's first utility-scale far-shore wind farms and the largest of their kind in APAC, reaffirming Taiwan as the frontrunner in the region.”
President Tsai expressed gratitude towards Orsted for its investment in Taiwan and its pivotal role in advancing renewable technologies in the country. Reflecting on the journey of Taiwan's energy transition, President Tsai remarked, “It took us eight years to turn the words ‘energy transition' in our policy papers into actual wind farms in operation. Taiwan now has Asia-Pacific's largest offshore wind farm and our own offshore wind supply chain.”
Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure at CDPQ, emphasized the significance of the Greater Changhua 1 Offshore Wind Farm's inauguration, underscoring its role in advancing Taiwan's renewable energy agenda and highlighting the fruitful collaboration between Orsted, CDPQ, and Cathay PE.
Looking ahead, Orsted remains committed to expanding its offshore wind portfolio, with 7.6GW of projects under construction worldwide. In Taiwan, the company is gearing up for its next major project, the 920MW Greater Changhua 2b and 4, further solidifying its position as a key player in the global renewable energy landscape.
Orsted's relentless pursuit of sustainable energy solutions continues to drive progress towards a greener, more sustainable future, while cementing Taiwan's status as a trailblazer in the transition towards clean energy.
