There is probably no better place to exchange views on offshore wind power than on a ship in the middle of the giant wind turbines on the high seas while salty sea air blows in your face and the waves rock the boat. It was just this opportunity for a 19-head Taiwanese delegation on Thursday, May 18th, 2017, heading to the nearshore project Nordergruende at the invitation of wpd AG. The wind experts from Taiwan spent four hours together with representatives of wpd AG on the boat trip, having a lively exchange in high spirits.
Achim Berge Olsen, Managing Director of wpd offshore GmbH, received the group and went along on board: “It  was a pleasure to meet the delegation of official representatives from the Taiwanese wind industry and to show them wpd’s know-how in the projecting, construction and operation of offshore wind farms.” wpd’s first offshore project has been Baltic 1, which has been sold ready-to-build in 2008 to a German energy supplier. Some two years ago, the 80 turbine project Butendiek was finished and at the moment, wpd is busy bringing the Nordergruende wind farm to the grid. “We’re glad that the Taiwanese colleagues were able to get an insight into our operative method and we hope we have been able to strengthen our good relationship, so that we can contribute to the Taiwanese energy transition in a good way. At the moment we are developing four projects in Taiwan together with our allied company wpd Taiwan Energy Co. Ltd.”
Taiwan has set a goal to shut down its three nuclear power plants until 2025, implementing offshore wind power to generate 3 Gigawatt (GW) of power until then. At the end of April of this year, the country commissioned the first two offshore turbines as a pilot project. In Taiwan, Germany is considered a role-model for energy transition as well as for the establishment of offshore wind industry.

About wpd
wpd is an international developer and operator of wind farms both onshore and offshore and with 1,800 employees actively engaged in 18 countries around the world, the head office is in Bremen. Since more than 20 years, wpd has realised wind energy projects with around 2,080 turbines and an output of 4,100 MW. Internationally, wpd is planning projects in the scope of 7,500 MW onshore and more than 5,600 MW offshore. With the Infravest Energy Co.Ltd. wpd is also active in Taiwan since 2005. In 2016, wpd took over Infravest, so the company is since then a 100% subsidiary wpd’s. Meanwhile, the company has grown to a staff of 70. Infravest Energy Co. Ltd. is operating since May as wpd Taiwan Energy Co. Ltd. www.wpd.de

Contact:
wpd AG
Christian Schnibbe
Head of Communication
Stephanitorsbollwerk 3
28217 Bremen
Tel.: +49 (421) 16866-10
E-Mail: c.schnibbe@wpd.de wpd AG
Achim Berge Olsen
Managing Director wpd offshore
Stephanitorsbollwerk 3
28217 Bremen
Tel.: +49 (421) 16866-5858
E-Mail: a.berge@wpd.se