Abstract:
Taiwan is charging toward a zero-carbon future by 2050, with offshore wind energy as a cornerstone of this transformation. Since 2012, the government has championed harnessing powerful winds in the Taiwan Strait off the west coast following its three-stage strategy. This talk explores how Taiwan built its offshore wind industry from scratch, starting with its first offshore meteorological mast in 2015, despite limited experience in marine energy. Through case studies and insights from industry pioneers, we reveal how Taiwan blended global technology with local innovation to tackle challenges like navigating a patchwork marine regulatory system and shortages of maritime expertise and specialized vessels. These efforts have sparked transformative breakthroughs, creating a dynamic offshore wind system – the first in East Asia outside China. This growing exploration of marine environments is shaping a sustainable seascape, opening doors to future innovations like floating wind farms, offshore solar, and hydrogen production at sea.
About The Speaker:
Wen-Ling Hong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, where she also serves as Director of the Center for Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Research. Hong holds prominent roles in several professional and governmental bodies, including membership in the Committee of the Ocean Affairs Council and the Underwater Cultural Heritage Review Committee of the Ministry of Culture under the Executive Yuan. Since 2017, she has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Taiwan Women in Science and Technology Newsletter. Previously, she was Chair of the Taiwan Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Association and Deputy Minister of the Ocean Affairs Council, Executive Yuan, Taiwan.
