Name: Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms
Address: TW

Overview

The Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms represent a significant development in Taiwan's renewable energy infrastructure, comprising a series of offshore wind installations situated in the Taiwan Strait off the coast of Changhua County. These facilities are currently under construction and are operated by the Danish energy company Ørsted. The project is designed to harness wind resources in the region, contributing to the country's energy mix with a total installed capacity of 900 MW. The location in the Taiwan Strait provides favorable wind conditions for offshore generation, making it a strategic site for wind farm development in Taiwan. Changhua County, located on the western coast of the island, has emerged as a key area for offshore wind energy projects due to its coastal geography and consistent wind patterns. The Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms are part of broader efforts to expand Taiwan's offshore wind capacity and reduce reliance on traditional energy sources. Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind energy, is the operator of these wind farms. The company's involvement underscores the international interest in Taiwan's renewable energy potential. The project is currently in the construction phase, with a commissioning date scheduled for 2022. This timeline reflects the ongoing progress in developing the infrastructure required to support large-scale offshore wind generation in the region. The development of the Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms is part of a larger trend toward offshore wind energy in Asia. Taiwan's strategic location and coastal geography make it an attractive destination for such projects. The 900 MW capacity of these wind farms will contribute significantly to the local grid, providing clean energy to meet growing demand. The project also highlights the importance of international collaboration in advancing renewable energy infrastructure, with Ørsted playing a key role in bringing expertise and investment to the region.

History and Development Timeline

The Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms represent a significant infrastructure development in Taiwan’s renewable energy sector, located off the coast of Changhua County. The project is operated by Ørsted and is currently classified as under construction, with a total capacity of 900 MW. The development timeline reflects a structured progression from environmental and grid approvals to initial power generation.

Environmental and Grid Approvals (2018)

The formal development phase began in early 2018. In February 2018, the Environmental Protection Administration granted environmental approval for the project, marking a critical regulatory milestone. This approval allowed the operator to proceed with preliminary engineering and logistical planning. Shortly thereafter, in April 2018, the project received grid connection approval. This second approval ensured that the generated electricity could be effectively integrated into the regional power network, reducing transmission bottlenecks and securing offtake agreements.

Construction and Commissioning (2019–2022)

Physical construction commenced in November 2019, initiating the installation of turbine foundations, substations, and inter-array cables. The construction phase involved significant offshore engineering efforts to accommodate the specific marine conditions of the Changhua coast. The project reached its first major operational milestone in April 2022, when the first electricity was generated. This commissioning date marked the transition from construction to initial operational status, validating the engineering design and grid integration strategies.

Year	Event
February 2018	Environmental approval granted by the Environmental Protection Administration
April 2018	Grid connection approval received
November 2019	Construction start
April 2022	First electricity generation

Technical Specifications and Components

The Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms comprise a series of projects under construction off the coast of Changhua County, Taiwan, with a total capacity of 900 MW. The development is led by operator Ørsted and is scheduled for commissioning in 2022. The project integrates four distinct wind farms: Changhua 1, Changhua 2A, Changhua 2B, and Changhua 4. These facilities are situated in water depths ranging from 34.4 to 44.1 meters. The total area covered by the wind farms is 108.7 km2.

Constituent Wind Farms

The project is divided into multiple phases with specific capacity allocations. Changhua 1 contributes 605 MW to the total output. Changhua 2A adds 295 MW, while Changhua 2B provides 337 MW. These figures represent the detailed breakdown of the installed capacity across the different sites.

Technical Components

The wind farms utilize suction bucket foundations, a technology suited for the specific seabed conditions and water depths of the Changhua coast. The project also incorporates recycled blades, highlighting an emphasis on material efficiency and environmental sustainability in the construction process.

Component	Specification
Total Capacity	900 MW
Changhua 1 Capacity	605 MW
Changhua 2A Capacity	295 MW
Changhua 2B Capacity	337 MW
Water Depth	34.4–44.1 meters
Total Area	108.7 km2
Foundation Type	Suction bucket
Blade Technology	Recycled blades

Significance

The Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms represent a pivotal development in Taiwan’s transition toward diversified renewable energy sources. Located off the coast of Changhua County, this series of wind farms is currently under construction and is operated by Ørsted (per project documentation). With a total installed capacity of 900 MW, the project constitutes one of the most significant offshore wind initiatives in the region, contributing substantially to the island’s growing wind energy portfolio.

Changhua County has emerged as a strategic hub for Taiwan’s renewable energy expansion due to its favorable geographic conditions and existing infrastructure. The location off the coast of Changhua provides consistent wind resources, making it an ideal site for large-scale offshore wind development. The 900 MW capacity of the Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms positions the project as a key contributor to the county’s energy output, helping to diversify the local energy mix and reduce reliance on traditional power sources.

The involvement of Ørsted as the operator underscores the international interest in Taiwan’s offshore wind potential. As a global leader in offshore wind development, Ørsted’s ownership brings extensive experience and technological expertise to the project. This partnership highlights Taiwan’s growing attractiveness to international energy investors seeking to capitalize on the island’s renewable energy opportunities.

The scale of the 900 MW capacity is particularly notable in the context of Changhua County’s energy landscape. This capacity represents a significant addition to the region’s power generation capabilities, supporting both local consumption and broader grid stability. The project aligns with Taiwan’s broader renewable energy goals, contributing to the nation’s efforts to increase the share of wind power in its overall energy mix.

How does the grid integration work for these farms?

The grid integration framework for the Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms was established through a critical regulatory milestone in April 2018, when the grid connection approval was formally granted. This approval served as the foundational authorization required to synchronize the offshore generation assets with Taiwan’s existing transmission infrastructure. The process involved coordinating between the offshore wind operators and the national grid operator to ensure that the electrical characteristics of the incoming power matched the requirements of the onshore substation network.

Onshore Construction and Initial Phases

Following the 2018 approval, significant onshore construction activities commenced to facilitate the physical and electrical linkage of the wind farms to the mainland grid. These efforts were particularly focused on the infrastructure supporting Changhua 1 and Changhua 2A, which were identified as the pioneering phases of the broader Greater Changhua development. The onshore works included the preparation of cable landing points, the construction of switchgear stations, and the reinforcement of local transmission lines capable of handling the influx of renewable energy.

The strategic prioritization of Changhua 1 and Changhua 2A allowed for a staged approach to grid integration. By completing the onshore components for these specific farms first, the project developers could test the connection protocols and voltage stability before rolling out the full 900 MW capacity across the entire series of farms. This phased construction model mitigated risks associated with connecting multiple large-scale generation sources simultaneously to a single grid node.

First Power Delivery

The culmination of these integration efforts was achieved in April 2022, marking the first power delivery from the Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farms to the Taiwanese grid. This event signified the successful synchronization of the offshore turbines with the onshore transmission system, validating the technical specifications outlined in the initial grid connection approval. The delivery of power in April 2022 demonstrated that the infrastructure built during the onshore construction phases was fully operational and capable of transmitting electricity generated by Ørsted’s offshore assets to end-users.

This initial connection established the operational baseline for the remainder of the project. As the farms continue to be under construction, the grid integration protocols established during the Changhua 1 and Changhua 2A phases serve as the template for connecting subsequent wind farm units. The successful handover of power in 2022 confirmed that the regulatory and technical frameworks established in 2018 were adequate to support the growing capacity of Taiwan’s offshore wind sector.