Other Good Stuff

US investor plans 4.4GW offshore wind portfolio in Taiwan

Published by

Renewable energy developer Swancor Renewable Energy has announced plans to develop a portfolio of 4.4GW worth of offshore wind projects off the north-western coast of Taiwan.

Swancor, which is majority owned by US-based investment firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, announced on Tuesday that it has filed with the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency for environmental permits to begin developing a portfolio of 3 offshore wind projects.

Taiwan is one of the world’s most exciting growth opportunities for offshore wind, with several projects already under construction, and plans to install 5.5GW by 2025 and another 10GW between 2026 and 2035.

Taiwan’s offshore wind aspirations were given a strong foothold with the start of operation on the 8MW Formosa 1 pilot demonstration in 2017 and the expansion to 128MW which was completed at the end of last year.

According to Liming Qiao, the Asia Director for the Global Wind Energy Council, “Taiwan is the most attractive offshore wind market in Asia,” and is expected to deliver 15GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

Formosa 1, and its younger but larger sibling, the 376MW Formosa 2 offshore wind farm which is currently under construction, are both located off the coast of Miaoli County and were developed by Swancor Renewable Energy.

Swancor will now move to build on its experience developing and building offshore wind farms in Taiwan with a new portfolio of projects expected to measure in at 4.4GW.

The portfolio will consist of 3 separate sites – Formosa 4-1, Formosa 4-2, and Formosa 4-3 – and will be spread over a maritime area located 18 to 20 kilometres off the coast of Miaoli County. When completed, with a combined capacity of 4.4GW, the three projects would generate enough electricity for the equivalent of over 4.5 million homes.

According to Swancor, they are considering both bottom-fixed and floating foundations for the projects and will be chosen based on individual site conditions.

Environmental permits have been filed with the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency this week, and following completion of the environmental impact assessment process and securing the requisite government approvals, project contracts, and financing, Swancor expects the three Formosa 4 wind farms would begin operations some time after 2025.

Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.

Joshua S Hill

Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.

Share
Published by

Recent Posts

Equis founders extend winning formula to new “highly focused” Australian renewables outfit

Renewable energy developer launches new, wholly owned subsidiary that will continue to progress its 2.5…

21 May 2026

Big battery seals lifetime service deal as it sizes up to meet market and regulatory demands

Big battery signs 20-year service deal to meet its market and regulatory obligations, including the…

21 May 2026

As Australia votes for landmark UN climate resolution, Coalition urges fossil industry to “bare its knuckles”

The climate wars are back: On one side of politics there is no sign they…

21 May 2026

Miners, microgrids, EVs and other loads: New inverter technologies take battery storage to new markets

Chinese power giant Sungrow unveils a series of new storage and micro-grid technologies, including a…

21 May 2026

How Australia’s most advanced renewables state has dropped the ball on the gas network death spiral

Regulator warns that the complete lack of policies to guide this state's customer transition away…

21 May 2026

Largest solar-battery financing deal just the tip of the iceberg, as bankers pile into fashionable hybrids

First of its kind financing platform has room for more giant solar and battery hybrids,…

21 May 2026