TECO to Manufacture Prototype Generator Components of an Offshore Wind Turbine
"TECO Electric & Machinery has signed a framework agreement with several offshore wind power developers and a renowned international manufacturer of permanent magnet generator for manufacturing the prototype stator and rotor of wind turbine. The agreement’s partners also pave the way for the attempt to contract-manufacture the prototype stator and rotor for Taiwan’s future wind turbine, with an eye on meeting the surging demand expected after 2025. The move marks a major stride not only for TECO in its foray into the offshore wind power market, becoming the first Taiwanese company to engage in the generator components manufacturing, but also for the development of localized wind-power supply chain.
It is understood that the framework agreement includes the procurement of wind-turbine stator and rotor prototypes prior to 2025, with latent for tapping the business opportunities by wind farm blocks development after 2025."It underscores the acknowledgement by the agreement's partners of TECO's manufacturing and testing strength in heavy-duty motors and generators. After years of effort, TECO has been capable of manufacturing permanent-magnet and wire-winding generators, with track record of installations, such as 2 MW wind turbines at a wind farm in Inner Mongolia in 2010. TECO points out that in addition to larger capacity, there exist three major challenges for the manufacture of offshore wind turbine: 1. requirement of high reliability, given the difficulty of offshore repair and maintenance; 2. the requirement of compact size and lightweight, for the sake of high power density, given the height of offshore wind turbine, typically equivalent to the height of a 50-story building; 3. the requirement of high heat-dissipation capability, given Taiwan's climatic environment. The company will muscle into the supply chain of international wind turbine manufacturers, once its prototype passes the certification, becoming a bellwether for the government's policy to push the development of indigenous key wind-power components and parts industry.
Previously, TECO has made major inroads, as a general contractor, in onshore substation engineering, such as 900 MW onshore substation engineering contract for Changfang & Xidao Offshore Wind Farms. Equipped with technology in power equipment and remote monitoring system, TECO has set its sight on the onshore substation engineering projects of Hai Long and Formosa III offshore wind farms, with business potential exceeding NT$8.5 billion, as well as business opportunities related to the government's plan to release 1 GW wind power installation capacity annually after 2025.
As a pioneering wind-turbine manufacturer in Taiwan, TECO can even extend its reach to the Asia-Pacific market, including Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, in the future.