Offshore wind turbine maker MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is further boosting Taiwan's local offshore wind supply chain with the decision to source fasteners and cables locally.
The company has previously announced contracts in Taiwan for local supply of blades, blade materials (bonding glue, resin, pultruded carbon plates), towers, switchgear, rotor hubs, hub plates, and nacelle base frames, with more local supply chain contracts planned for 2020.
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has now reached agreements with local Taiwanese suppliers Boltun Corporation (Boltun) for fasteners and Walsin Lihwa Corporation for cables.
According to MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, this makes the company the only wind turbine manufacturer to source these components locally.
These agreements will see Boltun and Walsin Lihwa Corporation supply MHI Vestas for CIP-developed wind projects – Changfang Phase 2 and Xidao – to be delivered off the coast of Taiwan beginning in 2023.
The agreements with Boltun and Walsin Lihwa Corporation also cover the Zhong Neng project, where MHI Vestas has been named preferred turbine supplier. Changfang Phases 1 and 2, Xidao and Zhong Neng are the only four Taiwanese projects to have passed the government’s localization review for projects allocated in Round 2.
Fasteners and cables are both key components of MHI Vestas’ cutting-edge V174 turbine, which is slated for the first installation in Taiwan in 2022, the company said.
MHI Vestas APAC Regional Manager, Masato Yamada said:"We continue to prioritize the sustainable development of Taiwan’s local suppliers. As the only wind turbine manufacturer to be sourcing fasteners and cables from Taiwan, we are particularly pleased to be working alongside Boltun and Walsin Lihwa Corporation as they gain valuable experience and expertise in the offshore wind sector. We look forward to continue working with the government to deliver a competitive, regionally-capable Taiwanese offshore wind supply chain.”
“As the offshore wind sector will be a key part of Taiwan’s energy story, we are pleased to be working with MHI Vestas to deliver fasteners for their first projects in the country,” said Jason Chen, Sales Director of Boltun, Tainan-based metal parts manufacturer established in 1988.
“This early experience will be extremely valuable as we look towards the future and opportunities to export to the APAC region. We must secure our future with these early experiences, so consistency in technology is critical.”
Walsin Lihwa Corporation, founded in 1966, has produced power cables and wires for usage in a wide array of industries. As the offshore wind sector develops in Taiwan, early experience gained alongside MHI Vestas will enable Walsin Lihwa Corporation to potentially supply the broader Asia-Pacific region with cables, MHI Vestas said.
"To progress and grow with the Taiwanese government’s green energy policy, Walsin Lihwa Corporation has been dedicated to developing wind turbine cables in recent years.” said Jin-Renn Leu, President of Walsin Lihwa Wire & Cable Business Group. “It is a pleasure to be the designated partner of MHI Vestas, and we will supply cables to their Taiwanese projects. We hope to take this opportunity to work with the world-class wind turbine manufacturer and continue striving to be one of the top cable solution providers in the global market.”
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