LOC Renewables, a part of LOC Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with four other parties to work together on furthering offshore wind farm development and construction in Taiwan.
Together with the CR Classification Society, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, Taiwan Electric Research & Testing Center, and Electronics Testing Center, LOC will look to enhance the quality, safety and reliability of offshore wind farm construction in the South China Sea region.
“With offices throughout the region in Seoul, Singapore and Vung Tau, Vietnam, LOC’s team of offshore renewable engineering consultants are ideally placed to support our Taiwanese colleagues as they look to expand the country’s offshore wind capacity and attract developers,” said RV Ahilan , Group Director of Renewables Advisory & Energy Technology at LOC Renewables.
“LOC has long been involved in offshore wind energy in Asia, having acted as technical consultant on the Bac Lieu wind farm in Vietnam when the first phase began construction back in 2011. We’re looking forward to bringing this experience, and the vast knowledge we have built up in European offshore wind energy, to the fledgling Taiwanese market – helping it to fulfil its potential.”
Under the terms of the MOU, the five parties will co-operate and share expertise in a number of areas, most notably construction, research into suitable technologies and marine warranty surveying. In addition, the co-signers will host a technical seminar on these topics.
As the Taiwanese offshore wind industry develops, LOC Renewables will assist in the evaluation and review of offshore wind projects, from conception and planning through to operations and maintenance.
Dr Liou Ming-Jong , Director General of the Bureau of Standards, Metrology & Inspection at Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, said: “Cooperation with LOC in marine warranty survey (MWS) will play an important role for insurers’ underwriting for the Taiwanese offshore wind farm construction. We plan to have our third party certification team work with LOC to carry out MWS for Taiwanese offshore wind farms, and further promote these investment opportunities to the whole industry.”
Following the signing of the MOU, and in addition to hosting a delegation consisting of representatives from each of the other co-signing bodies, LOC Renewables will take its guests to a briefing, hosted by E.ON as construction service provider to the Rampion offshore wind project currently being built off the UK south coast by E.ON, the Green Investment Bank Ltd and Enbridge.