Changfang and Xidao Offshore Wind Farms Complete Construction in Taiwan

May 22, 2024 – Copenhagen, Denmark and Taipei, Taiwan: 

Today, the Changfang and Xidao offshore wind project was inaugurated in Taiwan, marking completion of construction activities which represent a total installed capacity of 600 MW. The Changfang and Xidao project increases Taiwan’s combined offshore capacity by approximately 25% and contribute significantly to Taiwan’s energy transition and ambitious net-zero goals. Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP), a global leader in offshore wind development and construction, has led project development activities for Changfang and Xidao on behalf of the project’s owners. 

Changfang and Xidao is majority owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ (CIP) Flagship funds CI II and CI III. Thailand-based Global Power Synergy Public Company (GPSC) and two Taiwanese life insurance companies, Taiwan Life and Transglobe Life, each own minority stakes. COP is the exclusive offshore wind developer for CIP. 

The Changfang and Xidao project is the first offshore wind farms to be developed in Asia Pacific by CIP and COP. They have one of the highest degrees of localization, i.e. use of local suppliers and vendors in the history of Taiwan’s offshore wind industry. The project is located 11 kilometers off the west coast of Taiwan and consist of 62 Vestas V174 turbines and jacket foundations supplied by Taiwan’s Century Wind Power. When fully operational, Changfang and Xidao will generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 650,000 local households and will deliver an annual expected CO2 reduction of 1.1 million tons. 

Located off the coast of Changhua, the Changfang and Xidao project was awarded by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Energy Administration in 2018. The project generated first power in 2022 and now aims for the earliest electricity license approval to commence the commercial operational phase for the entire windfarm.  

“This milestone is a result of the dedication and collaborative efforts of the Changfang and Xidao project team, including COP, CIP, and our network partners who have worked together with local stakeholders in Taiwan to overcome challenges such as disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, typhoons, and earthquakes to meet the construction schedule,” said Dennis Sanou, Vice President at COP and Changfang and Xidao Project CEO.  

“Changfang and Xidao is our first project in Asia Pacific to complete the construction phase and only less than seven years ago since we opened our office in Taiwan,” said Jesper Krarup Holst, Partner at COP. “Completion of construction has been reached which is a massive achievement by the Changfang and Xidao project team in light of all the challenges the project has faced since entering the construction phase in early 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world.” 

The Changfang and Xidao project is the first windfarm in Taiwan’s offshore wind history to be completed with such a comprehensive level of localization. When combined with the Zhongneng Offshore Windfarm in Taiwan, which is jointly owned by CIP and China Steel and of which project development activities are also being led by COP, these two projects represent 900MW of capacity and the largest scale of localization opportunities for Taiwan-based suppliers.  

CIP has a significant portfolio of 21 GW offshore wind in the Asia Pacific and together with COP as lead developer of the portfolio, they are among the frontrunners in build-out of offshore wind in both Taiwan, Korea, and Australia. Since entering Taiwan in 2017, CIP and COP have been committed to offshore wind in the country, investing significantly in developing Taiwan’s offshore wind projects, its supply networks and in fostering a strong industry ecosystem.  

COP is leading development on behalf of CIP for three offshore wind projects in Taiwan with a combined capacity of approximately 1,400 MW: Changfang and Xidao (600MW), Zhongneng (300MW), and Fengmiao (500MW). Zhongneng is owned by CIP’s CI IV Fund and China Steel Corporation, and is under construction with commercial operations expected in 2025. Fengmiao is owned by CIP’s CI V Fund. 

 

About Copenhagen Offshore Partners  

Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP) is a world leader in offshore wind project origination, development, and construction. COP is accelerating the energy transition through development of a 50+ GW project portfolio. An industry pioneer, the group is leading project development in new markets, including four projects recently completed or currently under construction – Changfang and Xidao and Zhong Neng in Taiwan, Vineyard Wind 1 in the United States and Jeonnam 1 in Korea. COP also specializes in system integration capabilities, including power-to-x. COP’s expert team are advancing projects across 17 offices in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. COP is a proudly independent company owned by its management. Learn more at www.cop.dk 

 

About Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners 

Founded in 2012, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S (CIP) today is the world’s largest dedicated fund manager within greenfield renewable energy investments and a global leader in offshore wind. The funds managed by CIP focus on investments in offshore and onshore wind, solar PV, biomass and energy-from-waste, transmission and distribution, reserve capacity, storage, advanced bioenergy, and Power-to-X. 

CIP manages 12 funds and has to date raised approximately EUR 28 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from more than 160 international institutional investors. CIP has approximately 500 employees and 12 offices around the world. For more information, visit www.cip.com