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Lifting Taiwan’s green energy ambitions

In April 2021, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier was chosen by Siemens Gamesa Offshore Wind Ltd. (SGRE) for the transportation and installation of 47 wind turbines at the new Formosa 2 offshore wind farm in Taiwan. Jack-up vessel Brave Tern began the installation process in June 2022 and was replaced by the newly upgraded Bold Tern in August. Both vessels then teamed up to finish the project, the installation was successfully completed on 31st January 2023.

 

Next generation power generation

Formosa 2 is located in Miaoli County in Taiwan. It was built as part of a zonal development initiative by the Taiwanese government, which is planning to add 5.5GW of wind power to its energy mix by 2025.

The new windfarm will provide Taiwan with clean energy and assist its transition towards using more renewable energy. With 47 SG 8.0-167 DD turbines, it will generate 376MW, and generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 380,000 households.

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Co-operation breeds excellence

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier has worked with SGRE on multiple offshore wind projects in Taiwan. Over ten years of successful partnership and co-operation, the two companies have developed a solid relationship that has proved invaluable for the smooth and efficient planning, preparation, and execution of the new Formosa 2 windfarm.

“The Formosa 2 project showcases our continued commitment to the growing Taiwanese offshore wind market and to the APAC region in general. The project contributes significantly to Taiwan’s renewable energy targets, and we are proud to take a leading role in the Taiwanese offshore wind market. We look forward to working with local partners and SGRE again in the future,” says Hans-Petter Austad, Senior Project Manager of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.

 

 

"We would like to extend our thanks to FOWIC for their continued support and excellent flexibility over the course of the last year to bring the Formosa 2 project to a successful installation completion. This has required the hard work and dedication of all our teams who have worked tirelessly together – often in challenging conditions - to achieve this important milestone. A big thank you to all involved!" says James Oxbrow, Head of Project Management Offshore (APAC) of Siemens Gamesa Offshore Wind Ltd

Two vessels are better than one

For Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, Formosa 2 has been another opportunity to showcase our capabilities and expertise in installing turbines under challenging conditions and providing flexibility to our clients. 

Jack-up vessel Brave Tern began the project in June, initially installing 26 turbines. She was then replaced by Bold Tern in August, following completion of her new upgrades, for the installation of a further 14 turbines. In the final phases of the project Brave Tern was released from other commitments and working together both vessels could ensure the smooth completion of the remaining seven turbines.

Bold Tern’s new upgrades, completed in Singapore in June, proved valuable for the Formosa 2 project, particularly in overcoming challenging soil conditions and corresponding large water depths, providing additional contingency on lifting height.

The upgrades included a new 1600t crane, an increased width with sponsons, higher jacking and preload capacity, improvements to the mooring system, and 12 new single cabins. She also features a new offshore gangway and a blade rack supporting structure on the stern to optimize deck layout.

Overcoming the conditions

Winter period in Taiwan is notorious for windy conditions and small installation windows, but 15 turbines were installed in the period November – January, showing progress can be made as we have practiced in Europe for the last decade.

Building an energy-efficient future in APAC

In 2019, Fred. Olsen Ocean opened an office in Taipei, Taiwan to bring the group’s extensive experience from Europe to the Asia Pacific region and to build value locally.

“With Formosa 2, we are continuing our extensive relationship across our companies with SGRE in Taiwan. Our teams have gained valuable knowledge in the execution of projects in Taiwan, which will position us perfectly to respond to increasing demand from this emerging and exciting market.”

Hans A. Hansen, Regional Manager of Fred. Olsen Ocean.

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Bold Tern will be kept in the region to complete new projects for different developers. Brave Tern will return to Europe to be made ready for her next assignment. Watch this space!