Taiwan unveils floating offshore wind demonstration plan

Taiwan's Energy Administration has unveiled a draft plan for a floating offshore wind demonstration project to expand renewable energy capabilities into deeper waters. The initiative aims to accumulate technical and operational experience to support the nation's long-term goal of reaching 40 to 55 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050.

The demonstration project intends to select two to three cases, each featuring 6 to 12 floating platforms with a capacity of approximately 100 to 200 MW per site. The selection mechanism will evaluate bidders based on technical capability (45%), financial capability (40%), and sustainability cooperation (15%). To qualify for site allocation, bidders must achieve a minimum score of 70.

The government expects to announce the selection mechanism and the feed-in tariff (FIT) for floating wind turbines by the end of 2024. The bidding process is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with results announced in the fourth quarter of that year. Selected projects are generally required to complete grid connection by the end of 2032, with certain flexibility provided if specific installation milestones are met.