Sojitz Corporation Announces the Official Completion of the Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm, Capable of Providing Power for 600,000 Users in Taiwan for One Year
The offshore wind farm jointly invested by Sojitz Corporation of Japan and companies from Germany, France, and Thailand has been completed, with a completion ceremony held on March 4. Sojitz Corporation announced that the offshore wind farm located off the coast of Yunlin County in the Taiwan Strait has a notable scale, with a generating capacity of 640 megawatts (MW). The eighty wind turbines can provide electricity equivalent to the annual usage of 600,000 households. Reports indicate that Taiwan plans to cease operations of all nuclear power plants within this year, aiming to increase the proportion of wind energy in its renewable energy generation to 20%.
Masayoshi Fujimoto, Chairman of Sojitz, stated that there is significant growth potential in Taiwan’s wind power market. Sojitz possesses extensive experience and hopes to advance projects while considering economic benefits.
Another offshore wind farm funded by Japanese operator JERA is also in operation in Taiwan, and an increasing number of overseas companies are participating in the development of renewable energy in Taiwan.
**Introduction to Sojitz Corporation’s Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm**
Sojitz Corporation completed its investment in the Yunlin offshore wind farm in April 2019, with eighty wind turbines installed. The farm is scheduled to commence operations on January 30, 2025, with the official progress reported as completed.
The wind farm’s generating capacity can reach 640 MW, reportedly supplying the largest amount of wind power energy to Taiwan, providing approximately one year’s worth of clean energy for about 600,000 households. When the generation reaches 2,400 gigawatt-hours (GWh), it can meet about 90% of the electricity demand of average households in Yunlin County, providing stable power supply to the local area and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1.2 million tons annually.
This renewable energy project is located 8 to 17 kilometers off the coast of Yunlin County in central Taiwan. The electricity generated by the eighty installed wind turbines will be transmitted through two onshore substations located near Taixi Township and Sihu Township in Yunlin County, supplying Taiwan Power Company. The project is jointly implemented by Yuneng Wind Power Co., Ltd., Skyborn Renewables GmbH, TotalEnergies SE, and Electricity Generating Public Company Limited.
Following legislative amendments in 2017, Taiwan plans to shut down all nuclear power plants by 2025 and promote renewable energy as an alternative. The goal is to increase the proportion of renewable energy generation to 20%. Due to Yunlin’s favorable natural conditions, it is suitable for developing wind energy, and local expectations for offshore wind power generation are high, leading to ongoing development projects.
Taiwan aims to completely halt nuclear power generation, which often sparks heated discussions on both sides. Although multiple offshore wind farms have been completed, various parties are still assessing the feasibility of fully replacing nuclear power generation. Currently, the No. 3 nuclear power plant is in operation, while the No. 1 and No. 2 plants have been decommissioned as planned, and the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant (No. 4) is undergoing asset maintenance management as directed by the government.
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