Danish-Japanese OEM MHI Vestas is eying to supply the wider Asia-Pacific market with blades from a new plant in Taichung Harbour on Taiwan, which its local supply chain partner Tien Li has started to build.

Both production and storage facilities are being developed for the mass manufacture of blades to be installed at offshore projects in Taiwan and eventually, throughout Asia-Pacific, MHI Vestas said.

“Tien Li’s facility in Taichung Harbour will be a sight to behold once completed, as it will be producing some of the largest blades in the world for installation offshore in Asia,” said Robert Borin, chief supply chain officer at MHI Vestas.

“The ground-breaking on this facility is a key milestone, and we look forward to working with Tien Li throughout this process as they ramp up to be a key supply chain partner to MHI Vestas in Asia-Pacific.”

Taichung Harbour infrastructure is being upgraded to handle turning radius requirements for the transportation of completed blades. This will enable the port to potentially handle larger cargoes and allow Tien Li to expand further as larger blade designs are developed, MHI Vestas said.

MHI Vestas has won firm contracts for the Changfang and Xidao projects developed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), which have a combined capacity of 589MW. The OEM is also the preferred supplier for the 300MW Zhong Neng project by CIP and China Steel Corporation.

The manufacturer has also won a contract for the 220MW Hibikinada project off the southwest coast of Japan, but will deliver onshore turbines from its parent that has a typhoon-proof certification.

Wind

MHI Vestas eyes wider Asia-Pacific market for new Taiwan blade plant