£230m in UKEF support for offshore wind farm in Taiwan
Story by
November 5, 2019
UK Export Finance, the UK’s export credit agency, has today, Tuesday 5 November, announced that it is providing a £230m project finance guarantee to support the construction of an offshore wind farm in the Taiwan Strait.
The Formosa 2 wind farm project is led by Macquarie’s Green Investment Group and Swancor Renewable Energy, and involves the construction of 47 new turbines generating 376 megawatts of green energy, forming part of the Taiwanese authorities’ target of generating 20% of its power from renewable sources by 2025.
As a result of UKEF’s support for this project, UK companies will be involved in the construction of the Formosa 2 offshore wind farm, helping to unlock the export potential of this growing sector of the UK economy.
The UK is one of the world’s largest generators of offshore wind energy. It is home to the largest offshore wind farm in the world, the Walney Extension off the Cumbrian Coast, and is responsible for over 44% of Europe’s offshore wind energy.
UKEF has provided its support in New Taiwanese Dollars, one of over 60 currencies in which UKEF can offer financing, protecting the buyer from market fluctuations and making sourcing from the UK more attractive.
Louis Taylor, Chief Executive of UK Export Finance said: “The UK is a world leader in the generation of offshore wind energy, and UK Export Finance is committed to maximising opportunities for our world-class companies in this sector. By supporting this project, UKEF is making these opportunities a reality in new markets while helping Taiwan reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.”
Mark Dooley, Global Head of Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, the lead project sponsor, said: “Macquarie’s Green Investment Group is a leading global investor and developer in the renewable energy sector. We’ve supported 16 offshore wind projects across the globe, including almost 50% of the UK’s offshore wind capacity in operations or under construction.
“We’re delighted to have UKEF on board as a main finance provider. Its support will play an important role in the delivery of Formosa 2 and help the UK’s outstanding offshore wind supply chain to benefit from the project alongside our local Taiwanese partners.”
