Why Taiwan is one country to watch on the offshore wind scene

The Global Wind Energy Council revealed that the offshore wind market will hit an impressive 234GW by 2030, and this growth will be fuelled by Asia-Pacific. Taiwan is a newcomer to the Asian offshore wind farm market, and while it may lack years of experience, the shortcomings end right there.

The nation’s Bureau of Energy (BoE) announced their Zonal Development Round plan, which aims to add 1.5GW of capacity each year between 2026 and 2035, totalling 15GW in additional capacity. This interest to make its mark on the renewables scene has drawn swathes of investment to the region.

Offshore wind has become a key element of Taiwan’s green economy vision, and here’s why you should watch out for this rising star.

Creating a regional hub for offshore wind in Taiwan

There’s a paradigm shift in the global energy market, whereby countries are diversifying their energy mix and breaking up the longstanding relationship with fossil fuels.

Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries have made their commitment to the energy transition and a green recovery following Covid-19 very clear. But which nations are leading the charge? Installing more than 3GW of offshore wind in 2020, it will come as no surprise that China tops the list, followed by Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea.

While it might not have an offshore wind capacity on the same scale as China, the Global Offshore Wind Report pegs Taiwan as the number one emerging market in the offshore market. In 2018, their target was to increase offshore wind capacity to 5.5GW by 2025. Not long after, the nation showed there was no limit to their ambitions and announced the further 10GW to be added by 2035.

What does this mean for Taiwan’s offshore wind job market?

A lack of natural resources and a historic reliance on imports means the government has turned its attention to sustainable development. The determination to create a climate-resilient energy mix means that Taiwan is set to have the second-largest share of the APAC offshore wind energy market, surpassed only by China.

With companies such as Orsted helping the nation achieve their goal of electricity security, as well as climate change mitigation, inbound investment is streaming in. Not only is this creating more jobs in the region, but as more projects are announced around Taiwan each year, this increases the job opportunities across the global renewable energy sector.

So what do you need to do to be eligible?

If you’re thinking of taking your career to Taiwan, you need to apply for the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, which is a combined open work permit, residence permit and visa for skilled professionals. This special permit it issued to attract specialist talent from outside the country. You can choose a one, two or three-year work permit and the clearly outlined application information means you have a guide to help you through each step.

The Gold Card costs anywhere between USD 100 and USD 310 depending on your nationality and the duration of the card. A perfect application takes 30-days, however, if additional supporting documents are requested, expect a time frame of 50-60 days.

Now is the perfect time to develop your offshore wind energy career

The growth of the global offshore wind market means there are plenty of job opportunities for the taking. Take the UK for example. In their report, Your career in offshore wind, RenewableUK states that this nation has 11,000 miles of coastline, but only a small proportion is used to harness wind power. That’s not to say it will remain like this for much longer. In a bid to become a powerhouse on the renewable energy scene, the UK government announced the plan to increase capacity so the country could power all homes with offshore wind energy by 2030.

The opportunities don’t start and end in the UK. In fact, we recruit for renewable energy jobs around the globe, including Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. You’ve got the power to make a difference in your next renewable energy career, and there's no limit to where your job could take you. So what are you waiting for?

Find your next offshore wind energy job with Quanta

At Quanta, we’ve been matching candidates with renewable energy jobs since 2002, setting up a specialist team a few years later. This skilled renewable energy recruitment team understand how important it is for candidates to find a role where they can make a difference and build a career to be proud of.

Whether you’re looking to get your career off the ground or find a role that will challenge you, we’re here to help. Search our offshore wind jobs, or browse our current renewable energy roles.