ECCT and GWEC 2022 Global Offshore Wind Summit highlights enormous potential of wind energy in Taiwan

Significant progress has been made in Taiwan’s offshore wind market in the development of port infrastructure, supply chain localisation, and the installation of offshore wind turbines. However, with such opportunities in a new market there are always challenges to overcome. To examine the complexities and provide an updated status of this promising new market, the 2022 Global Offshore Wind Energy Summit - Taiwan (GOWST) was organised for the fourth consecutive year by the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). The event comes at a crucial time as auctions are held for 3GW of additional offshore wind capacity. The opening day of the summit was attended by an audience of more than 400 physically and virtually.

Giuseppe Izzo, Vice Chairman of ECCT commented, “The ever-increasing threats posed by climate change and the need for energy security make Taiwan’s energy transformation even more urgent than before. Over the past year, Taiwan has seen the start of commercial operations of its first offshore wind project and the announcement of higher long-term capacity targets, but progress is still being hampered by regulatory and logistical issues. By adopting the right strategies and working with ECCT members, which are global leaders in all aspects of offshore wind energy, Taiwan would be able to reach its offshore wind energy targets, boost energy security, and advance towards net zero emissions by 2050.” 

Mark Hutchinson, Head of Asia, GWEC commented, “Taiwan is an offshore wind leader in Asia and a key first mover market. Its success has inspired other Asian markets to deploy offshore wind as part of their green energy transitions. As the Taiwan offshore wind market develops further, a long-term strategy that balances the needs of a more mature offshore wind market with the needs of investors and OEMs is needed. GWEC is committed to work with government, ECCT and other stakeholders to further the development of this market."

This year’s flagship event featured keynote speeches and high-level panel discussions between policymakers, offshore wind energy industry leaders from Europe, Taiwan and the Asia Pacific region, port authorities, and supply chain stakeholders engaged in offshore wind energy development in Taiwan. The event was co-organised by the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) and the Metals Industries Research & Development Center (MIRDC) and endorsed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC).

The two-day event featured sessions on a full range of topics covering the outlook for the Asia Pacific region, developments in Taiwan, including Taiwan's offshore wind localisation policy, enhancing port infrastructure, wind turbine technology, construction technologies, energy storage and electricity transmission infrastructure, vessels, logistics, floating offshore wind, the CPPA market in Taiwan and personnel, training, and safety issues. Day 1 was concluded with a dinner that was attended by VIP guests from government and industry. 

The event began with opening remarks by Shen Jong-Chin, Vice Premier, Executive Yuan (沈榮津 中華民國行政院副院長); Wang Mei-Hua, Minister, MOEA (王美花 中華民國經濟部部長); Chi Wen-jong, Deputy Minister, Ministry, MOTC (祈文中 中華民國交通部次長); Giuseppe Izzo, Vice Chairman, ECCT (尹容 歐洲在臺商務協會副理事長) and Mark Hutchinson, Head of Asia, GWEC (全球風能理事會亞洲總監). This was followed by two high level Taiwan offshore wind development forum discussions, the first featuring senior government officials from the MOEA, TIPC and MOTC and the second in which government officials joined senior executives of leading players in Taiwan’s offshore wind energy market. The sessions explored what Taiwan has achieved to date, some of the key challenges ahead and opportunities for cooperation to make Taiwan’s offshore wind industry even more successful.

The sessions featured the following government officials: Yu Cheng-Wei, Director General, Bureau of Energy (BOE), MOEA (游振偉 中華民國經濟部能源局局長); Dr Lee Hsien-Yi, Chairman, TIPC (李賢義 臺灣港務公司董事長); Yang Chih-Ching, Deputy Director-General, Industrial Development Bureau (IDB), MOEA (楊志清 經濟部工業局副局長) and Yeh Hsieh-Lung, Director-General, Maritime Port Bureau (MPB), MOTC (葉協隆 交通部航港局局長). In the second session, the following industry experts participated: Jonathan Cole, CEO, Corio Generation; Niels Steenberg, Chairman and Managing Director of Siemens Gamesa Offshore for Asia-Pacific; Alex Robertson, Vice-President, General Manager of Vestas Taiwan; Alban Dhautefeuille, Head of Offshore Wind Asia, TotalEnergies; Yuni Wang, Chairperson, Skyborn Renewables and Jose Oriol Hoyos, Offshore APAC Director, Iberdrola.

The summit also featured a series of specialist sessions focusing on technical aspects of wind energy development in Taiwan and the Asia Pacific region, namely: 1) Regional outlook; 2) Moving Taiwan’s offshore wind to the next level; 3) Building port and infrastructure for offshore wind; 4) Two technical sessions on a) Wind turbine technologies and b) Energy storage, substations and cable solutions; 5) Floating offshore wind; 6) Finance and the CPPA market; 7) Technical sessions on a) Offshore wind vessels and strategies for logistics and b) Training, manpower, safety and other needs of offshore wind markets in Taiwan; 8) Technical sessions on a) Underwater structures and construction and b) Development of innovative solutions for foundations, towers and auxiliaries.    

Already a leading country in the region, Taiwan is well-positioned for future growth in the wind energy market. GWEC Market Intelligence’s latest market outlook predicts that Taiwan is positioned to be the largest offshore wind market in Asia, excluding China. The Taiwan government has announced plans to boost its offshore wind power generation capacity by 15GW over 10 years between 2026 and 2035. All eyes are now on Taiwan as it aims to connect 5.5GW of new offshore wind capacity by 2025 and another 15GW will be tendered by the government through the Round 3 auctions for commissioning by 2035. Taiwan is on track to generate over 20,000 jobs and nearly US$30 billion in inward investment by 2025. By 2035, the investment from offshore wind is expected to reach US$90 billion and create around 57,000 jobs.

2022全球離岸風電高峰會/歐洲商會及全球風能理事會 肯定臺灣離岸風電能源的無限潛能

臺灣的離岸風電產業在港口基礎建設、供應鏈在地化，以及離岸風力渦輪發電機的設置有重大進展。這個新市場中雖然有諸多機會，但亦將面臨許多困難與挑戰。為了解決離岸風電能源產業發展的難題，以及分享此新市場的最新訊息，歐洲在臺商務協會（ECCT）與全球風能理事會（GWEC）已連續四年共同舉辦「全球離岸風電高峰會-臺灣」，活動更恰逢臺灣離岸風電設置量3GW競標的關鍵時刻，400多位觀眾將透過現場參與及網路連線的方式，一同參與開幕活動。

行政院沈榮津副院長指出：第二階段潛力場址風場刻正進行海上施工中，預計將於今年底完成累計200座風機建置，期望未來臺灣與歐洲的夥伴能持續強化技術合作。

經濟部王美花部長指出：到去年為止，台灣已經完成兩座示範風場，共43座的離岸風機，今年年底即將突破累計200座的安裝量，可以說今年是台灣離岸風電爆發性成長的一年。為確保未來2026年以後市場的延續性，經濟部也規劃第3階段，每年將釋出1.5 GW的容量，以提供穩定市場需求，促使我國基礎建設、供應鏈及人才，可以妥善供應。經濟部對於離岸風電的新技術，例如浮動式風電，或是風電結合氫能，也會持續以開放的態度，跟產業界、學術界進行探討，期許離岸風電在台灣的淨零轉型路徑中，扮演更多重要的角色。

交通部祁文中次長指出：交通部除配合提供港區土地、碼頭，以利風機組裝、運送以及零組件製造外，亦透過臺灣港務公司提供港口服務，航港局對於航政法規的支持，增加國內航運業及海事工程業者參與機會，希望與經濟部共同達成風電產業本土化的目標，同時確保航行安全。持續聆聽在座諸位先進的建議與指導，期許能成為離岸風電產業後盾，為臺灣綠能產業盡一份心力。

歐洲在臺商務協會副理事長尹容表示，「氣候變遷帶來的威脅日益增加，以及對於能源安全的需求，使台灣的能源轉型比以往更加急迫。過去一年，臺灣首例離岸風電計畫開始運作，並宣佈了更高的長期產值目標，臺灣似乎看到了商業運作的開端，但過程中依舊受到監管及法規問題的影響。歐洲商會的成員為離岸風電能源產業中的全球領導者，如果能採取正確的策略共同合作，我相信臺灣能夠實現其離岸風電能源的目標，提高能源安全，並且提前在2050年前達到淨零排放。」

全球風能理事會亞洲總監Mark Hutchinson也談到，「臺灣是亞洲離岸風電的領頭羊與先驅。臺灣的成功，激勵了其他亞洲市場開始將離岸風電列入綠色能源轉型的項目。隨著臺灣離岸風電市場的持續發展，需要長期的因應策略，在日趨成熟的離岸風電市場中，平衡投資者及代工生產者的需求。全球風能理事會承諾將致力與政府、歐洲商會以及其他參與者合作，進一步發展此市場。」

今年的高峰會精選了主題演講及知名的專家對談，邀請到政策決策者、來自歐洲及亞太地區的離岸風電產業專家、港務局以及投身於臺灣離岸風電能源發展的供應鏈關係人。此活動係由臺灣港務公司(TIPC)、金屬工業研究發展中心(MIRDC)共同籌辦，並由經濟部及交通部認證。為期兩天的活動主題涵蓋亞太區的願景、臺灣離岸風電產業的發展，包括離岸風電國產化政策、加強港口基礎建設、風機技術、建設技術、能源儲存以及電力傳輸設施、船艦、物流、浮動式離岸風力發電、臺灣的企業購電協議市場，以及人力、培訓及安全議題。第一天活動以產官界貴賓的晚宴畫下句點。

高峰會活動在行政院沈榮津副院長、經濟部王美花部長、中華民國交通部祈文中次長、歐洲在臺商務協會尹容副理事長以及全球風能理事會亞洲總監Mark Hutchinson的開幕致詞中揭開序幕。隨後有兩場臺灣離岸風電發展的專家論壇，首場論壇由經濟部、臺灣港務公司以及交通部的專家進行對談；第二場論壇則邀請到政府高層及臺灣離岸風電能源的企業領袖們進行討論。論壇中探討臺灣在離岸風電產業發展的成就，迄今遭遇到的主要挑戰以及合作機會，促進臺灣風電產業的成功。

專家論壇邀請到中華民國經濟部能源局游振偉局長、臺灣港務公司李賢義董事長、經濟部工業局楊志清副局長以及交通部航港局葉協隆局長。第二場次則邀請到業界領袖一同交流，包括科理歐永續能源執行長Jonathan Cole、西門子歌美颯亞太區離岸風電營運發展總部倪邇思董事長、台灣維斯特離岸風電股份有限公司總經理Alex Robertson、道達爾能源亞洲區離岸風電總監Alban Dhautefeuille、天豐新能源王雲怡董事長以及伊比德羅再生能源總監Jose Oriol Hoyos。

今年高峰會規劃了一系列主題演講，聚焦在臺灣及亞太區離岸風電能源發展的技術層面，主題講座著力於討論亞太區離岸風電市場綜觀、推動臺灣離岸風電的階段，以及離岸風電的港口及基礎設施。接下來進行兩場場次，探討風力發電機技術及儲能、變電所與電纜解決方案、浮動式離岸風力發電、企業購電協議的市場與經濟發展、離岸風電船艦與物流策略及臺灣離岸風電市場的培訓、人力資源及安全等需求、水中的基礎建設，發射塔及相關輔助物的創新解決方案發展。

臺灣在亞太區已位居領導地位，奠定未來在風電市場的成長基礎，依據全球風能理事會預測最新風電市場的展望，臺灣將成為除了中國之外，亞洲最大的離岸風電市場。政府已宣佈，在2026年至2035年，臺灣離岸風電設置量將再新增15GW。全球目前都在關注臺灣的離岸風電市場發展，我國政府的短期目標要在2025年達5.5GW，另外擬於2035年之前，透過第三次的競標釋出15GW的設置量，並可望在2025年創造逾兩萬個工作機會，吸引約300億美元的外來投資。至2035年，各項投資預估可達900億美元，並創造約5.7萬個工作機會。