BBC Onyx multipurpose heavy-lifter has arrived in Taiwan carrying the first batch of foundation components for the Formosa 2 offshore wind farm.
"Formosa 2 offshore wind farm loaded-in the first set of foundation components, including pin piles, at Taichung Harbor, and is set to ramp up its offshore installation activities," reads a statement released Wednesday on the offshore wind project's website.
The Formosa 2 offshore wind farm is being jointly developed by JERA (49%), Macquarie's Green Investment Group (26%) and Swancor Renewable Energy (25%).
The 188 pin-piles are key components for the four-legged jacket foundations that will support Formosa 2’s 47 8MW wind turbines.
The pin-piles measure up to 78.9 meters in length and weigh up to 277 tons. The jacket foundations and wind turbines each weigh 1695 tons and 820 tons, respectively. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) is 47 SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbines for the project.
Once completed, the Formosa 2 wind farm will provide 376MW of electricity, and generate power for over 380,000 households.
Formosa 2 will be located between 4 – 10km off the coast of Miaoli County in northwestern Taiwan.
Jan de Nul is responsible for the delivery of the foundations, including pin piles, and offshore export cables for the Formosa 2 project.
Jan de Nul will work alongside a team of Taiwanese sub-contractors, including Hunghua Construction Co Ltd who will transport the foundations to the site with other local companies including Taiwan International Ports Co. Ltd, Ta Jia International Co. Ltd, Jin An Logistics International Co. Ltd and Glory Shipping Agency Corporation.
Kimberly Cram, Formosa 2 Project Director and Managing Director, Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, said the project was making good progress "and we are pleased to have achieved this milestone as we further ramp up the offshore construction work."
"Formosa 2 is proud to be part of Taiwan’s renewable energy transition and to work with the local supply chain to strengthen the offshore wind industry. It is a great example of how international and local expertise can partner effectively together.”
According to World Energy Reports' new Offshore Wind Outlook report, Taiwan has a 5.5GW offshore wind farm target by 2025 & potential annual allocations from 1GW from 2026-2030, likely to be allocated by the selection process with fixed FIT pricing.
The country’s first OWF, Ørsted’s 128MW Formosa 1, came fully on stream at the end of 2019.
Watch the recording of World Energy Report's Offshore Wind Webinar "Outlook for Offshore Wind Power: The Frontier of Future Energy"