The "Ministry of Economic Aff airs" (MOEA) announced Tuesday that it will push a policy of establishing off shore wind farms and propose incentives in July to encourage local firms to invest in off shore wind power generation.

"Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs" Huang Chung-chiou said it is not too late for Taiwan to develop offshore wind generation, citing Denmark, the UK, and Holland, which are still in the initial stages of developing the energy resource.

"Offshore wind generation should be given top priority," Huang said, adding that the Taiwan Strait has very good locations for developing offshore wind power generation.

The capacity of a wind power station located within 20 meters off the coast could reach 1,200 megawatts (mw), which is larger than the capacity of a similar wind power plant on land, Huang said.

If the plant is set up around 20 meters to 50 meters off the coast, its capacity could increase to 5,000 mw ?Calmost equal to the combined capacity of two nuclear power plants, according to Huang.

Yeh Hui-chin, chief of the Bureau of Energy under the MOEA, said that offshore areas near central Taiwan's Changhua and Yunlin counties are suitable sites for developing wind power generation, and the MOEA will propose a plan in July to specify wind farm areas and the capacity needed.

CHINA DAILY/CNA

(HK Edition 04/28/2010 page4)