The Formosa 2 offshore wind farm is being developed off the coast of Taiwan by a joint venture of JERA (49%), Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (26%) and Swancor Renewable Energy (25%), a subsidiary of Swancor Holding.
The 376MW wind farm is being built as part of the zonal development programme being implemented by the Taiwan Government, which is aiming to add 5.5GW of wind power to its energy mix by 2025.
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Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs Bureau of Energy has approved three Formosa wind farm projects as part of its goal to commission more than 1,000 wind turbines by 2030.
Onshore construction of the wind farm began in November 2019, with operations scheduled to commence the following year. The offshore installation activities began in the first half of 2020.
Formosa 2 will provide Taiwan with clean energy and assist its transition towards using more renewable energy. The wind farm will generate enough electricity to power 380,000 households each year.
Once commissioned, the project is expected to displace 18,750kt of CO2 over its lifespan.
Location of the Formosa 2 wind farm
Formosa 2 is situated in the Strait of Taiwan, which separates the island from mainland China, 40nm from the port of Taichung in Miaoli County. Adjacent to the Formosa 1 wind farm, the Formosa 2 site is 3.8km off Taiwan’s west coast, with the furthest point of the project 9.5km from the shore.
Formosa 2 offshore wind farm milestones
The project consists of two licensed areas, which was awarded by the Taiwanese Bureau of Energy.
It has successfully completed the system impact analysis (SIA) with Taiwan Power Company YingPan substation, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and the establishment permit (EP) process with authorisation from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The project also obtained the support from Taiwan Power Company through a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
Formosa 2 offshore wind farm turbine details
Formosa 2 will feature 47 Siemens SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbines. The turbines have a rotor diameter and blade length of 167m and 81.5m respectively, with a swept area of 21,900m² each.
The turbines have a voltage of 690V and a 50Hz frequency. They provide optimal power for offshore projects and are designed to withstand adverse conditions. Each turbine’s nominal power is 8MW.
The pitch-regulated turbines will have variable speed and will be installed on jacket foundations in a water depth of 55m.
Technology used in Siemens’ offshore wind turbines
The Siemens turbines use efficient direct drive technology, which minimises the wear and tear of components while improving efficiency through permanent magnet generator. The turbines also use the High Wind Turbine Ride Through system that stabilises energy output and helps in shutting down the turbine when the wind speed exceeds 25m/s.
Blades will be developed using Siemens’ IntegralBlade technology, which will enable a fibreglass-reinforced epoxy blade to be cast in one piece and deliver optimum quality to the turbines.
In-built sensors have remote diagnostics capabilities and assist the detection of issues inside the turbines while pre-empting possible failures. The sensors also help in analysing vibration patterns, fine-tuning the service plan and reducing serious damage.
Financing
A consortium of 20 international and local Taiwanese financial institutions will provide the overall financing required for the development and construction of the project, which is estimated to TWD62.4bn ($2.04bn).
Contractors involved in the Formosa 2 offshore wind farm
Jan De Nul Group won the engineering, construction and installation contract for the foundations and subsea cables of the Formosa 2 in June 2019. The contract includes fabrication, installation and designing of the foundations, except for the designing, supplying and installing of the subsea cables.
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy was awarded the contract to supply 47 8MW offshore wind turbines for Formosa 2. The deal also includes a 20-year full-service agreement, which will see the company provide full services for the turbines, including the provision of spare parts and tools, as well as ensuring the plant performs optimally.
Fortune Electric was contracted to supply the onshore power system, while Taiwan International Ports Corporation will provide the assembly pier rental for the offshore wind farm.
