2026-08-24
The expansion of AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and cloud data centers is driving a sharp rise in global electricity demand. At the same time, as countries continue to advance their net-zero transitions, companies are seeking not only an adequate supply of electricity but also low-carbon power. According to S&P Global Energy, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft — collectively signed corporate renewable energy contracts totaling 16,777 megawatts (MW) in 2025, accounting for 80% of the global total contracted that year. Wind power, which is not limited by daylight hours and offers relatively stable output, is therefore becoming an increasingly important option in these companies’ renewable electricity procurement portfolios.
According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), newly installed wind power capacity worldwide reached 165 gigawatts (GW) in 2025, an increase of 40% from the previous year, bringing cumulative installed capacity to 1,299 GW. GWEC projects that a further 969 GW will be added between 2026 and 2030, with Asia serving as the main engine of growth. However, the variability and uncertainty associated with large-scale wind integration can place additional pressure on existing grids. AI-enabled smart grids can help manage these characteristics by monitoring equipment in real time and detecting faults before they occur, thereby improving grid reliability and operational efficiency. StartUs Insights estimates that the global smart grid market will expand from US$52.6 billion in 2026 to US$238.6 billion in 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 17%. AI and wind power thus reinforce one another: AI-driven electricity demand creates new market opportunities for wind power, while AI-enabled dispatch and forecasting improve the reliability of wind generation, together supporting a more efficient energy system.
This mutual reinforcement is attracting investment and development activity to the global wind power market. In recent years, the global energy market has shifted from a model driven primarily by policy subsidies to one supported jointly by polily and market demand.
Denmark-based Ørsted is a leading wind farm developer, with approximately 10.2 GW of installed capacity and a further 8.1 GW under construction worldwide. Following the grid connection of the second turbine at the Greater Changhua offshore wind projects in July 2025, Ørsted's installed capacity in Taiwan is expected to reach 1.82 GW, making it the country’s largest offshore wind developer. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), also based in Denmark, manages approximately US$37 billion in assets worldwide and has a development pipeline exceeding 150 GW. Its offshore wind projects in Taiwan have a combined capacity of 500 MW.
Alongside developers’ continued capacity expansion, major technology companies are advancing their energy transitions through long-term renewable energy contracts. Since 2020, Microsoft has signed renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) totaling approximately 40 GW and in 2025 achieved its target of matching 100% of its annual electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases. Google is pursuing a 24/7 carbon-free energy strategy and uses AI to shift data-center computing loads to periods when wind and solar power are available. Amazon has developed more than 700 wind, solar, and energy storage projects with a combined capacity exceeding 40 GW, making it one of the world’s largest corporate purchasers of renewable energy. Meta has committed to matching all of its electricity use with clean and renewable energy and continues to support the development of new wind and solar projects.
To meet the simultaneous growth in installed capacity and corporate procurement, wind power technology is moving toward larger turbines, floating designs, and intelligent operations and maintenance (O&M). Siemens Gamesa, aGerman-Spanish joint venture, has introduced offshore turbine models with capacities of more than 15 MW. Compared with the previously mainstream 8–10 MW class, larger turbines require fewer units to achieve the same project capacity, reducing offshore construction and subsequent O&M costs and positioning them as a leading new-generation technology. U.S.-based GE, meanwhile, uses digital twins and predictive maintenance technologies to analyze turbine operating conditions in real time, improving generation efficiency and equipment reliability.
Taiwan has attracted international offshore wind developers in recent years because of the government's long-term support for offshore wind, the establishment of zonal development and power purchase frameworks that improve the predictability of project financing and commercial operations, its proximity to Northeast and Southeast Asian markets, and its mature electronics, machinery, and power equipment industries. These advantages are helping Taiwan emerge as an important hub in the global offshore wind supply chain.
Ørsted's Greater Changhua 2b and 4 Offshore Wind Farms, which involve partnerships with TSMC and Cathay Life, connected their first turbine to the grid and began generating electricity in July 2025. With a total capacity of 920 MW and a 20-year power purchase agreement, they are the world's first offshore wind farms dedicated to supplying renewable electricity to TSMC. TSMC has also signed power purchase agreements with Canada’s Northland Power for the Hai Long Offshore Wind Project, beginning in 2022 and followed by an additional agreement in 2026. Together, the two projects will supply more than 1.9 GW of renewable electricity, making TSMC both the world's largest AI chip manufacturer and Taiwan's largest corporate purchaser of offshore wind power. CIP's Fengmiao I Offshore Wind Farm secured an NT$103 billion syndicated financing package in March 2025 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. It is Taiwan's first offshore wind project supported by multiple corporate power purchase agreements, including agreements with Google, MediaTek, and UMC. In April 2026, the Formosa 2 Offshore Wind Farm completed an NT$58.9 billion refinancing, the first completed offshore wind power refinancing transaction in Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region.
Rapid wind farm development also depends on robust physical infrastructure. As Taiwan's domestic supply chain matures, international companies are increasingly partnering with local firms to build this infrastructure. Century Wind Power and Denmark's Bladt Industries established Century Bladt Foundation Co., Ltd., bringing European manufacturing technology to Taiwan; it is the only domestic company capable of manufacturing large offshore wind substructures. Taiwan’s CSBC Corporation and Belgian offshore wind engineering contractor DEME Offshore established CSBC-DEME Wind Engineering (CDWE), which provides transportation and installation services for offshore wind substructures. Chin Fong Machine Industrial has also entered into an agreement with Denmark's Vestas to manufacture wind turbine towers locally.
However, as the number of wind farms grows rapidly, traditional manual inspection can hardly keep pace with the rapidly increasing O&M requirements. The adoption of AI and digital technologies to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime risk has therefore become a major industry trend. In addition to partnering with Ørsted on an energy storage demonstration system and participating in Taipower's Xinwen Substation energy storage project, Delta has established the Delta & NVIDIA Cyber-Physical Workshop. The center uses digital twin technology to create equipment simulation systems that can support wind turbine monitoring and maintenance decisions.
With net-zero emissions by 2050 as a central policy objective, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) plans to increase cumulative offshore wind capacity to 10.9 GW by 2030 and 18.4 GW by 2035. Under the Four-Year Wind Power Promotion Plan, offshore wind development has proceeded in stages, beginning with demonstration projects, followed by the selection of potential zones and then zonal development. Taiwan has now entered the third allocation round under the zonal development program (Round 3-3). This round removes mandatory localization requirements and instead emphasizes developers' financial capacity and technical capabilities. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) plans replace localization scoring and include local procurement, environmental sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. A total of 3.6 GW is expected to be allocated, with grid connection scheduled for 2030-2031. As the developer selection mechanism becomes more market-oriented, the power trading model is also shifting from government-guaranteed feed-in tariffs toward corporate power purchase agreements (CPPAs).
Supported by both government policy and market demand, Taiwan's offshore wind sector continues to expand. As of June 2026, 500 turbines have been completed, bringing installed capacity to 4.8 GW and placing Taiwan fifth worldwide, according to GWEC. To sustain this momentum, Taipower will invest NT$564.5 billion over ten years under its Construction Plan for Enhancing Power Grid Resilience to strengthen the grid and facilitate renewable energy integration. The National Development Council (NDC) has also set targets of 2.5 GW generation-side energy storage and 3 GW grid-side energy storage by 2030. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is pursuing both talent cultivation and technology R&D. In addition to training interdisciplinary talent through its Power School, ITRI has in recent years integrated AI technology with wind turbine monitoring data, enabling systems to automatically identify early warning signs of equipment anomalies. At the same time, ITRI has established a green-energy technology demonstration site in Shalun, providing a platform for wind power technology testing, verification, and industry matchmaking — laying the foundation for the long-term development of Taiwan's wind power industry.
Driven by surging electricity demand from AI and the global net-zero transition, wind power has evolved from an alternative energy source into critical infrastructure for the digital economy. Future competitiveness will hinge on system integration, digital capabilities, and the ability to provide energy services. Taiwan benefits from favorable wind resources, strong semiconductor and ICT capabilities, and supportive government policies. By continuing to move its wind power industry from component manufacturing toward system-level integration and deepening the convergence of AI and wind technologies, Taiwan can develop vertically integrated capabilities encompassing smart wind power, renewable electricity services, and support for AI computing. This would strengthen Taiwan's strategic position as an Asia-Pacific export hub for smart-energy technologies.
Source： Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Industry Service Center Research Team
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