Global offshore wind leader Ørsted announced the launch of the Offshore Wind Industrial Development Fund, making a concrete step to support Taiwan suppliers to ramp up their technological capabilities and nurture local talents.
The program, fully funded by Ørsted with a total amount of NTD 60 million, will be managed and executed by the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) over the next 18 months. The aim is to ensure resources are in place for the local supply chain to strengthen professional techniques and competence, mend the skills gap and talent shortage, and drive a healthy development of offshore wind in Taiwan.
The fund carries two ambitious objectives:
- Firstly, to nurture local offshore wind professionals through funding local companies to send their employees for high-level welding and Global Wind Organization safety trainings.
- Secondly, to boost localization of offshore wind technologies through offering each successful applicant company with a maximum of NTD 5 million to help them cross the technological threshold and become suppliers for offshore wind construction or for O&M products and services, thus furthering local offshore wind capabilities.