（Journalist Lin, Meng-Ju, Central News Agency）

Deputy Minister Woody Duh of Ministry of Economic Affairs explained that although we own the best offshore wind farm in Taiwan, there are still some issues waiting for us to address, including environmental assessment and typhoon seasons. Therefore, both government and industry must join hands to address these problems together.

Ministry of Economic Affairs estimated that a total of 4-6 offshore wind power demonstrative units would be completed by the end of 2015, a demonstrative wind farm with a cumulative capacity of 300,000 KW would be completed by the end of 2020, and a demonstrative wind farm with a cumulative capacity of 3000 MW would be completed by the end of 2030. By that time, a total 600 offshore wind turbines and 450 continental wind turbines would generate a total capacity of 4200MW to produce an industrial output value of more than NT$500 billion, with wind power capacity taking up more than 33% of total renewable energy capacities.

This morning, Ministry of Economic Affairs and the preparatory offices of Formosa Wind Farm Corporation and Fuhai Wind Farm Corporation have completed the signing ceremony of “Offshore Wind Power Demonstration Incentive Program”. It is estimated that each company would complete 2 offshore wind power systems with single unit capacity exceeding 3000 KW by the end of 2015. 

Initiated by SWANCOR, the preparatory office of Formosa Wind Farm Corporation is expected to install a total of 36 wind turbines (with total capacity of 130MW) 5~30 meters in water depth and 1~5 kilometers in distance away from Zhunan Township of Miaoli County. Initiated by CSBC Corporation, Taiwan Generation Corporation, and Century Iron & Steel Corporation, the preparatory office of Fuhai Wind Farm Corporation is also expected to install a total of 30 wind turbines (with total capacity of 108 MW) 25~40 meters in water depth and 11 kilometers in distance away from Fangyuan Township of Changhua County. Currently, the two demonstration units have passed the environmental assessment. 

Deputy Minister Woody Duh pointed out that the contract signing ceremony is an indicator revealing that renewable energy and wind power in Taiwan is moving on to the next milestone.

He also explained that great offshore wind turbines would be installed to generate huge electrical power, which would soon become a major renewable energy in Taiwan. ROC Government expected that a total of one thousand wind turbines should be installed by the end of 2030. Among all wind turbines, 600 offshore wind turbines should be installed to generate total capacity of 3000MW, which should be more than twice the amount of energy generated from the continental wind turbines.

However, Deputy Minister Duh also explained that although wind power is developed earlier in European countries, there is no typhoon season in Europe. Wind power development in Taiwan involves several problems including environmental assessment, submarine cable transmission, typhoon season, undersea technology, and efficient engineering fleet, all of which should be jointly addressed by the entire industry independently. 

He further revealed that the government is planning to establish a demonstrative wind farm with a total capacity of more than 300,000 KW by the end of 2020, which should assist with the establishment of offshore wind power engineering fleet, automation of marine engineering, and vertical integration of offshore marine engineering supply chain. Since more than 10,000 new job opportunities would be created by then, the wind power industry should continue to be developed in the days to come.