After taking part in the development and construction of Formosa 1, Taiwan’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, and Formosa 2, remaining optimistic about the potential of developing offshore wind power in the Taiwan Strait, SRE announced in September 2020 a large-scale portfolio comprised of Formosa 4-1, Formosa 4-2, and Formosa 4-3 offshore wind farms also in waters off the coast of Miaoli County.
Formosa5
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Formosa5
Formosa 5 offshore wind farm which will be located 18 to 20 kilometers off the coast of Miaoli County in northwestern Taiwan are two new large-scale projects jointly invested and developed by Synera Renewable Energy (SRE) and the other members of the “Taiwan Team.”
Afterward, following the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ promulgation of the bidding mechanism under the Directions of Grid Capacity Allocation for Offshore Wind Energy Zonal Development for the third phase, SRE adjusted the development strategy for the next three years. Accordingly, the fixed-bottom offshore wind project “Formosa 4-3” and the floating offshore wind project “Formosa 4-2” were renamed “Formosa 4” and “Formosa 5” respectively. In addition, we created a unique corporate identity system for each project, which not only builds the brand identity for this portfolio, but also clearly demonstrates the technical characteristic and positioning of each project, thereby making them shine their own light.
Public explanatory sessions of Formosa 4 were held for local communities in early November 2020 after the announcement of the project. To reduce the impact of construction activities to the marine environment and ecology, Formosa 4 includes not only the use of fixed-bottom foundation, but also the floating foundation into the technical application of the project. The overall planning of Formosa 4 has deliberately considered the protection of near-shore natural landscape and avoided the environmental sensitive areas, including the Natural Habitat of Chinese White Dolphin, the Artificial Reef Area and the submarine pipelines of CPC Corporation. We have also decided to move the site of Formosa 4 further offshore to ensure a clear path for the vessels sailing through the Taiwan Strait.
Location
Advantages of Floating Foundations
Stretching over approximately 157 square kilometers, Formosa 5 Offshore Wind Farm will be located off the coast of Houlong Township, Miaoli County in northwestern Taiwan at water depths of 65-80 meters, and the shortest distance to the shore will be around 20 kilometers.
Wind Farm Configuration It is planned to build at most three offshore substations, install 161kV or 220-245kV cables, and makes landfall at Zhunan Township, Miaoli County.
Installed Capacity - Wind Turbine Rated Power: 9.5-20 MW
- Maximum Number of Wind Turbines: 161
- Maximum Total Installed Capacity: 1,536 MW
- Wind Turbine Spacing: perpendicular to prevailing wind > 750 meters; parallel to prevailing wind > 1,300 meters
- Differing from wind turbines with bottom-fixed foundations, floating wind turbines can be pre-assembled onshore and transported offshore for installation, which reduces the risk of offshore construction. Furthermore, since piling is not required for floating wind turbines, the impact on marine ecosystems is relatively minor.
- After water depth, geological conditions, compliance with safety requirements concerning extreme weather and earthquakes in Taiwan, and related factors are thoroughly examined, the optimal choice is either semi-submersible floating wind turbines or barge-type floating wind turbines with catenary mooring lines and drag-embedded anchors. Nevertheless, the actual plan of the project will depend on the final detailed design.