Innovation in Offshore Wind Farm Design

Taiwan’s strategy of increasing the share of renewable resources across its energy mix has reached another important milestone with a new offshore wind farm installation in the strait separating the island from continental Asia. The Hai Long Offshore Wind Project consists of two licensed areas with a total capacity of 1044 MW. The project is Ramboll’s third large scale detailed design project in Taiwan after Xidao (589 MW) and Zhong Neng (300 MW) where we have also been responsible for delivering full jacket foundation designs. Ramboll will perform the FEED and detailed design of jacket structures supporting the Siemens Gamesa 14 MW flagship wind turbines.

Situated in-between tropics, Taiwan’s offshore waters are exposed to extreme natural forces such as earthquakes, sand waves and soil liquefaction. These adverse conditions pose complex challenges to the design and engineering of the jacket structures installed at water depths up to 56 metres. Ramboll’s deep capabilities and global experience in offshore wind has enormously helped our understanding of how natural forces work against underwater structures. This has enabled us to create innovative and flexible site-specific solutions in terms of foundation techniques and installation that enable the jackets to weather their turbulent surroundings.

When designing offshore wind foundations, compliance can be as a big a factor as tackling environmental conditions. To better navigate the challenges of local standards and regulations, we collaborate with our local partners to help us strengthen our knowledge of the area and ensure the project’s smooth progress. It is through this collaboration with stakeholders that we are able to assist in Taiwan’s green energy transition as well as opening the door to other renewable energy opportunities across Asia Pacific.