GS Entec Wins Monopile Supply Deal for 504 MW Taean Offshore Wind Farm

GS Entec has secured a contract to supply 37 monopile foundations for a 504-megawatt offshore wind farm planned off Taean in South Chungcheong Province, strengthening the Korean manufacturer's position in the country's developing offshore wind supply chain.

The GS Global subsidiary signed the agreement with Taean Wind Power in Seoul on Wednesday. Production is scheduled to begin in July 2027, and all deliveries are expected to be completed by the end of August 2028. Construction of the wind farm is planned to start in 2028, with completion targeted for 2030.

The project is being jointly developed by Singapore-based renewable energy company Vena Energy, Danish infrastructure investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Korea Western Power. When finished, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of about 300,000 households.

Monopiles are large cylindrical steel structures driven into the seabed to support offshore wind turbines and their towers. They are generally used in waters up to about 50 meters deep and can offer lower costs and shorter installation times than jacket foundations, which rely on a lattice structure. The relatively shallow water and thick sediment layers off Taean make the site suitable for this type of foundation.

The order will also put GS Entec's expanded manufacturing capacity to work. The company invested about 300 billion won, equivalent to roughly $220 million, to enlarge its plant and raise annual production capacity from 40,000 tons to 150,000 tons.

GS Entec entered the monopile sector in 2022 through a strategic technology partnership with Dutch foundation manufacturer Sif. It later supplied all 64 monopiles for the Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind project in 2023. The company is among a limited number of Korean manufacturers with experience in mass-producing and delivering large monopiles from a single domestic facility.

The Taean contract gives GS Entec another domestic reference as Korea prepares a broader expansion of offshore wind generation. The company is also being considered as a foundation supplier for the 340-megawatt Hanbit project and is seeking opportunities in Japan and other Asia-Pacific markets.

GS Entec said the latest order demonstrates its capacity to manufacture and deliver large-scale foundations. It plans to use its accumulated production experience and increased capacity to compete for more offshore wind foundation contracts in Korea and overseas.