Government Rejects Foreign Turbines in Domestic Offshore Wind Power Market

The domestic offshore wind power market, expected to grow to hundreds of trillions of won in the future, will now see full-scale entry of domestically produced turbines.

The government has rejected all private projects planning to use foreign-made or foreign technology turbines in the offshore wind power competitive bidding, a decision suggesting that the government intends to strengthen the public nature and security of offshore wind power.

On Sept. 1, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that four businesses were selected in the public-led sector through the offshore wind power competitive bidding for the first half of 2025. The total facility capacity of the four businesses is 689 megawatts (MW), exceeding the initially announced public sector facility capacity (around 500 MW). On the other hand, two businesses that submitted project plans in the general sector, which had a target volume of about 750 MW, were all rejected. The successful bidders are guaranteed the right to sell the electricity they produce at a fixed price for 20 years, ensuring stable long-term revenue.

The market noted that all applicants in the public bidding sector, which was being operated for the first time, were selected, while all applicants in the general sector were rejected. This is because the government signaled its intention to focus on security and supply chain contribution. In fact, it was reported that among the projects selected as successful bidders in this tender, except for the Southwest Offshore Wind Demonstration Complex, the remaining three projects all submitted plans to use Doosan Enerbility’s 10 MW large turbines. As a result, Doosan Enerbility’s 10 MW turbines have taken their first step into the market.

The government’s move to strengthen the supply chain in the offshore wind power generation market is due to the expectation that the domestic market size will grow rapidly. The government aims to introduce about 14 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power facilities by 2030 alone, which is estimated to require an investment of about 100 trillion won. An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, “We will focus on strengthening security indicators and supply chain indicators.”