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Ørsted awards Offshore Wind Industrial Development Fund in Taiwan

By: Tom Russell 11/01/2021 Ørsted

General Windfarms

Ørsted has announced the results of the Offshore Wind Industrial Development Fund (IDF), sponsoring a total of 92 local talents to receive welding training as well as 80 other individuals to receive Global Wind Organization (GWO) safety training in Taiwan.

Moreover, 10 local companies that are planning to become future offshore wind sub-suppliers, were awarded funds to upgrade their offshore wind technologies. The Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC), which is responsible for executing and managing the IDF, signed the contracts with the 10 selected companies to kick off their researches for the next 12 to 18 months.

Ørsted Taiwan General Manager Christy Wang says: “Ørsted is committed to supporting our suppliers in order to ramp up their capabilities and overcome manufacturing challenges. As for talent cultivation, many of the 92 people to receive welding training are from the current suppliers of the Greater Changhua 1 & 2a Offshore Wind Farms. As to technologies localization, we have seen Taiwan companies demonstrate their research and development capabilities. The selected projects not only can help strengthen local manufacturing as well as operations and maintenance capabilities, but also meet the needs to further offshore wind development in Taiwan and lay a solid foundation for the country to grow into the Asia-Pacific offshore wind export center.”

Two of the selected companies for technologies localisation are from Changhua. Data Surpass Technology Co., Ltd. proposed to upgrade its unmanned vehicle structure to weather more powerful waves at sea and advance its control system. Together with the satellite mapping and data analytics technologies, the unmanned vehicle can be deployed for offshore wind maritime survey. Data Surpass is building a new facility in Hemei Township in Changhua County to test and assemble the unmanned vehicle and equipment.

Data Surpass Technology Co., Ltd. Business Manager Hung Kun-sheng says: “We are honoured to be awarded the Ørsted’s Offshore Wind Industrial Development Fund. Due to weather constraints and sea conditions in the Taiwan Strait, only a limited number of days a year is suitable for conducting maritime survey. Our unmanned vehicle and seabed mapping technology can significantly reduce the manpower, time and cost required and increase the efficiency and precision of the maritime survey work, as opposed to the deployment of large survey vessel.”

Located in Fangyuan Township of Changhua, Tai-Shing Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. is experienced in manufacturing containers for the fossil fuel industry and has recently tapped into the offshore wind sector, becoming a sub-supplier that produces pin piles and components for the foundations.

Tai-Shing Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. Chairman Representative James Wu noted that the components for the foundations and pin piles must last at least 25 years under severe offshore conditions, and therefore their quality must meet the international standards of offshore wind. Also, there are many nodes on the foundations that require precise welding angle performed by seasoned welding technicians. Finding high-level welders to consistently deliver the same high quality of welding is currently the biggest challenge most local foundation suppliers are facing.

Wu says: “It requires experienced welding technicians to properly adjust the welding material and the angle to deliver high quality results. Our company will use the fund provided by Ørsted to develop the remote welding technology, similar to the robotic da Vinci Surgical System or gaming console Wii, which will provide instant feedback, such as vibration, to the one operating the machine. Welding technicians would then be able to perform the welding work remotely, watch the welding process on screen, while feeling the feedback from the robotic machines to make the necessary adjustments. This new technology will greatly improve the efficiency of the welding technicians and their work environment, as well as strengthen the welding quality and production capacity.”

Selected companies can be seen here.

Ørsted is developing four offshore wind projects off the Greater Changhua project, Taiwna. These projects represent a potential 2.4 GW capacity and are expected to be capable of powering 2.8 million homes in Taiwan. It is also the co-owner of Taiwan’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project, Formosa 1.

For more information on the Taiwanese offshore wind market, click here.

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Ørsted awards Offshore Wind Industrial Development Fund in Taiwan

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