Wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA said in a statement yesterday that the expansion of its nacelle assembly plant in Taichung would be completed a month ahead of schedule and begin operations in the second quarter next year.
The plant is the company’s first assembly facility for nacelles for offshore wind units outside of Europe and Taiwan’s only one, it said.
Following completion of the work, the plant at the Port of Taichung would have annual production capacity of 2 gigawatts, creating more job opportunities, Siemens Gamesa said.
Photo courtesy of Siemens Gemesa Renewable Energy SA
The company is recruiting 300 people to meet rising demand for talent in the industry.
It sent its first batch of Taiwanese employees to a one-year advanced training course in Europe late last year, it added.
Siemens Gamesa started the expansion of the plant in September last year and had expected to complete construction in February.
However, it now expects the construction of two production halls, one warehouse and other ancillary facilities to be completed early next month, it said.
After the installation of manufacturing equipment, the new facilities would produce large offshore wind turbines and continue the firm’s collaboration with the local industry chain, it added.
Besides supporting the 1,044 megawatt Hai Long Offshore Wind Power Project (海龍離岸風電計畫) off Changhua County, the new facilities would help complete a third-phase offshore wind farm development plan drawn up by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the company said.
The company is looking forward to joining hands with the local supply chain to export Taiwan-made nacelles to projects in the Asia-Pacific region with the completion of the expansion project, Siemens Gamesa said.
“The expansion of the Taichung nacelle plant will further fulfill our commitment to the development of offshore wind power in Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region,” Siemens Gamesa Offshore for Asia-Pacific chairman and managing director Niels Steenberg said in the statement.
Taiwan has 283 offshore wind turbines, of which Siemens Gamesa contributed 210, more than 75 percent, ministry data showed.
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