GS Entec delivers locally made monopiles for Yeonggwang offshore wind project

The Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind power project in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province / Courtesy of GS Entec

GS Entec has delivered 50 monopile foundations out of a total of 64 for the Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind power project.

Located off Korea’s southwest coast, the Yeonggwang Nakwol project is a large-scale 365-megawatt offshore wind farm under development in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province. It will feature a total of 64 turbines, each with a capacity of 5.7 megawatts.

The company signed a 200 billion won ($144.1 million) contract in 2023 to supply all the monopiles required for the project and plans to complete the remaining deliveries by October.

Monopiles are cylinder-shaped steel structures that serve as a foundation for securing offshore wind turbines to the seabed. Due to their simple structure, they can be made quickly and cost-effectively, making them one of the most popular offshore wind foundations in the global market.

With this project, GS Entec became the first company to supply locally produced monopiles for a large-scale wind farm of over 100 MW, demonstrating the quality and productivity of domestic equipment as well as the potential for localizing its supply chain.

“Through the Yeonggwang Nakwol project, we have been able to fully prove our capabilities in both manufacturing and delivering monopiles,” a company official said.

“With our proactive investment in technology and facility upgrades, we will keep focusing on projects like Yeonggwang Hanbit offshore wind power, while expanding exports and establishing ourselves as a key global partner.”

The company is ramping up its production capacity, investing a total of 300 billion won in installing cutting-edge automated production lines from leading Dutch manufacturer Sif. It is expected to double its current capacity after completing the installation in the first half of next year.

GS Entec also plans to take part in the 344 MW-scale Hanbit offshore wind project, set to begin construction in 2027.

In efforts to accelerate its overseas expansion, the company plans to grow its presence in the Asian market, targeting countries like Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam with its production technology and large-scale production capabilities.