DONG Energy Inaugurates Taiwan office, Signals Expansion in Asia

DONG Energy inaugurated its office in Taipei and shared its ambition to develop four offshore wind farms in the Changhua area.

Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Shen Jong-Chin, and Chief Secretary of Bureau of Energy, Lee Chun-Li, were among the many distinguished guests at the inauguration. The event was hosted by DONG Energy’s General Manager for Asia Pacific, Matthias Bausenwein, and CEO of DONG Energy Wind Power, Samuel Leupold. They both expressed their commitment to work with the government, the academic community and industry players to support Taiwan’s green transition of its energy sector.

“Building on our 25 years of experience with offshore wind, I believe we can help Taiwan make the most of its tremendous offshore wind resources. Offshore wind can become a key component in Taiwan’s future energy mix and provide a stable, utility-scale and green source of power from the strong winds in the Taiwan Strait,” Matthias Bausenwein said.

DONG Energy currently has 3GW offshore wind installed in Northern Europe, which equals the Taiwanese government’s 2025 offshore wind target. Taiwan has similar geographic conditions as Northern Europe – conditions which are very suitable for offshore wind farms. And Taiwan has a solid regulatory framework in place which offers visibility for the industry and attracts investments.

Among the 36 offshore wind farm sites planned by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), 21 sites are located in the Changhua County. DONG Energy is currently carrying out a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) on four of these sites.

Provided that the EIAs are approved by the Taiwanese government and subject to investment approvals by the company's Board of Directors, DONG Energy intends to develop the sites into a total offshore wind capacity of at least 2GW and make a significant investment into Taiwan's energy infrastructure.

This would not only support the green transition of Taiwan’s energy sector, but also help create a Taiwanese supply chain and local jobs. The potential construction of offshore wind farms could expectedly start in 2021-2024.

During the inauguration, Matthias Bausenwein announced that a letter of intent has been signed with the industrial think tank Technology Research Institute (ITRI), represented by Vice President and General Director Dr Robert Hu. DONG Energy will work closely with ITRI to contribute to building an offshore wind ecosystem in Taiwan. ITRI and DONG Energy aim to conduct joint workshops, cultivate talents and explore industry partnership opportunities. DONG Energy already has partnerships with seven European universities.

For more information, visit www.dongenergy.com.