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School property back on track

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Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has taken decisive action to address the inequitable state of school property to ensure better outcomes for all students. 
“It is crucial that the school property portfolio is managed effectively so students can continue to benefit from safe, warm, and dry learning environments,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
“After a Ministerial Inquiry found the Ministry’s School Property function unfit for purpose, the Government is delivering improved efficiency and performance by prioritising warm, safe, and dry learning environments, maintaining existing school assets, and accelerating cost-effective new builds using standard designs and offsite manufacturing.”
Since the release of the Inquiry there has been:

A 35 percent increase in the number of standard or repeatable designed buildings delivered.
A 28 percent reduction in the average cost of each classroom, from $1.2m to $0.87m.
A 34 percent increase in funding for school maintenance.

The Ministry has also increased the number of new classrooms it delivered in 2024 by 140 when compared to 2023. 
“One example was Wellington Girls’ College, where 14 classrooms over four, two-storey modulars were delivered in just 12 weeks at a cost of around $550,000 per classroom. This represented a 35% saving on the current value for money cost per classroom.”
Jerome Sheppard has been appointed Chief Executive of School Property as part of the phased approach to address the recommendations of the report. 
“Mr Sheppard brings expertise in delivering infrastructure to have responsibility for all operational aspects of school property, and I look forward to working with him to ensure we can achieve better outcomes for all schools.”
The decisions on the final form of the Ministry’s School Property function will be made later this year.
“This Government is committed to delivering a world leading education in classrooms that give Kiwi kids the best chance to succeed so they can grow up and live the lives they want,” Ms Stanford says.
 
Notes for editor:
The Report of the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property: Microsoft Word – Report of the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property – Final draft.docx

MIL OSI

Investments – NZ SUPER FUND INVESTS FURTHER IN LOCAL COMPANIES

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Source: New Zealand Super Fund

The New Zealand Super Fund has marked its 20-year relationship with private equity investment manager Direct Capital with a commitment to invest $50 million in its latest fund, Direct Capital VII LP (DCVII).

This commitment will take the Super Fund’s total exposure to Direct Capital (including undrawn commitments) to just over $330 million, equivalent to some four percent of the Super Fund’s net asset value.

Direct Capital is New Zealand’s largest Private Capital investor.  Over more than 30 years, Direct Capital has raised over $2.2 billion to invest in successful private companies.

DCVII was raised during November and December 2024, raising $525m to invest in medium-sized New Zealand and Australian businesses looking for capital to fund growth or to support a change in ownership.

The Super Fund’s Head of External Investments and Partnerships, Del Hart, said Direct Capital had a strong track record of financial performance and a well-deserved reputation for creating value in its investee companies.

“Direct Capital gives us a way to invest in local businesses that helps those companies to grow and develop, generates good returns for our portfolio, and contributes to New Zealand’s GDP.”

At the end of the 2024 financial year, the Super Fund had $8.4 billion invested in New Zealand assets, some 11 percent of its total investments by value.

This included a 42 percent stake in Kaingaroa Timberlands, the Super Fund’s largest single investment, significant investments in agriculture and horticulture, as well as shareholdings in NZX-listed companies through various mandates and in private companies via funds such as those managed by Direct Capital.

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New population of critically endangered kākāriki established

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  05 March 2025

The taonga were released on the predator-free island in Fiordland’s Tamatea/Dusky Sound on Friday, after two days in acclimatisation aviaries on the island.

The manu were bred and raised at The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust and Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch before being flown to Invercargill, where they were met by representatives from Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka on behalf of Kaitiaki Rōpū Ki Murihiku.

Joshua Kingipotiki and Alex Taurima from Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka accompanied the manu on their helicopter journey to the island, welcoming them with karakia and waiata.

“Being part of this release was a big learning experience and rather humbling, as it was the first time that I have been in the presence of kākāriki karaka,” Joshua Kingipotiki says.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kākāriki Karaka Species Representative Yvette Couch-Lewis says it is exciting to have mana whenua representatives from Ōraka-Aparima leading the tikanga and kawa of welcoming the kākāriki karaka onto the motu, with assistance from a kaitiaki ranger.

“Ngāi Tahu is definitely on a journey with this manu,” Yvette Couch-Lewis says.

“Kākāriki karaka are our smallest parrots, but they have a great deal of mana and are proof that the best things can come in small packages.”

“For me it is a very emotional process seeing these manu, which have been born and raised in captivity, being released into the wild. There is a sense of amnesia associated with engaging with this manu because we haven’t had the opportunity in generations to observe them in their natural environment.

“Translocations such as this are important because they build the population up so that one day we can engage with kakariki karaka again.”

DOC Kākāriki Karaka Operations Manager Wayne Beggs says setting up a secure new wild site is a huge step forward for the recovery of the species.

“Kākāriki karaka are extremely vulnerable to introduced predators, so finding safe places for them to live and breed in the wild is vitally important for the species’ survival.

“The predator-free beech and rimu forest on Pukenui/Anchor Island should be a great site for kākāriki karaka to flourish.”

Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust (ICWT) CEO Rob Kinney says the last six months of intensive husbandry by staff at ICWT is a testament to their dedication and expertise in caring for this critically endangered bird species.

“We are proud of our partnership with DOC and our involvement in this important conservation project.”

The vision of the recently released kākāriki karaka recovery strategy, Te Ara Mōrehu, is that kākāriki karaka will be thriving independently in the wild, with ten self-sustaining populations in the Ngāi Tahu takiwā in the next 20 years.

The recovery programme thanks tourism operator RealNZ and specialist insole company Formthotics for their significant donations which made the translocation and follow-up monitoring possible.

“RealNZ’s purpose is to help the world fall in love with conservation, and one of our flagship events aligned to this purpose is our annual Conservation Ball, aligning with the Department of Conservation to identify key projects that would benefit from our support,” says RealNZ CEO Dave Beeche.

“It’s incredible to see the funds raised from the 2023 Conservation Ball in action, assisting with the translocation of these critically endangered manu to Pukenui Anchor Island.”

Wayne says a lot of planning, effort, and cost goes into a translocation like this, and its success relies on a range of people and groups working together.

“We plan to do more translocations in the future. The NZ Nature Fund is raising money for this work and the public can contribute through their website.”

The kākāriki karaka recovery programme is supported by The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust, Orana Wildlife Park, Canterbury University, Mainpower, and the NZ Nature Fund.

Related links

Background information

Kaitiaki Rōpū Ki Murihiku represent the four southern Ngāi Tahu Papatipu Rūnanga: Te Rūnanga o Hokonui, Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka, Waihōpai Rūnaka, and Te Rūnaka o Awarua.

With about 450 left in the wild, kākāriki karaka are the rarest mainland forest bird in Aotearoa. The population naturally fluctuates based on environmental conditions.

They were once plentiful across the country but proved an easy meal for introduced predators and were affected by habitat loss, which saw their numbers dwindle.

Because they nest and roost in holes in trees, kākāriki karaka are extremely vulnerable to rats, stoats and cats.

The species was twice declared extinct in the past (in 1919 and 1965) before being rediscovered in the late 1980s.

Anchor Island/Pukenui is already home to a range of threatened bird species including kākāpō.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

Greater role for nurses in primary care

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Source: New Zealand Government

Boosting our nursing workforce will deliver immediate benefits to people seeking care, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Kiwis will get better access to primary healthcare under our Government’s plan to empower more nurses to deliver timely, quality services in local communities.“Strengthening this important workforce is vital to ensuring New Zealanders get the care they need, when they need it.“Cabinet has agreed to: 

Increase the number of training places for nurse practitioners specialising in primary care to 120 a year. 
Support advanced education for up to 120 primary care registered nurses.

“New Zealand nurses already have the expertise to provide high-quality care in local communities. By increasing their skills and qualifications, more patients can be seen sooner, and pressure on doctors is eased.“Nurse practitioners are highly skilled professionals who can diagnose conditions, prescribe medicines and develop treatment plans. They often manage more complex healthcare needs, giving New Zealanders greater choice and better access to health services.“The Government will invest $34.2 million over five years to fund 120 nurse practitioner training places in primary care each year from 2026. “An additional $21.6 million over four years will accelerate advanced tertiary education for up to 120 primary care registered nurses annually, bringing healthcare closer to home.“Registered nurses who obtain advanced qualifications can become registered nurse prescribers and may choose to continue their training to become nurse practitioners.“This allows more Kiwis to get ongoing care, including prescriptions, without needing a doctor’s appointment.“A stronger health workforce that we can retain is critical. We know that making primary care an attractive place to work for doctors and nurses keeps healthcare local for patients. “These initiatives build on our plan to attract and recruit up to 400 graduate registered nurses a year into primary care roles, and train and hire more doctors,” Mr Brown says.

MIL OSI

Crash, Matamata

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Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Motorists in Matamata are advised of a collision between two vehicles on a railway crossing in the town.

It happened at the intersection of Firth and Tainui Streets just before 8:50am, and is understood to involve a car and a light railway vehicle.

There do not immediately appear to be any injuries of note.

Traffic control is in place for motorists, however drivers are advised to avoid this intersection for the time being.

ENDS

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New database improves effort to stop terrorist and violent extremist material

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Source: New Zealand Government

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is welcoming the introduction of a new ‘hash’ database to counter digital violent extremism and protect the wellbeing of investigators.
“One of the many roles of the Department of Internal Affairs is preventing the spread of illegal objectionable material that encourages violent extremism. This new database will increase the efficiency of this work and better safeguard the wellbeing of the staff who deal with this content,” says Ms van Velden.
The database works by assigning a unique identifier, called a ‘hash’, to each piece of illegal content. These hashes can then be used to identify files that have already been classified as illegal, reducing the time required to individually identify material and preventing investigators from being repeatedly exposed to disturbing content.
The Department has the authority to issue ‘take-down notices’ to have the illegal material removed from online sites, including social media. The Department reports that most platforms promptly comply with such requests to remove the content. The database is also a useful tool in investigations into individuals found in possession of illegal material.
The database has been designed to be shared with the New Zealand Police, Customs Service, Security Intelligence Service, and international law enforcement agencies. The Department of Internal Affairs report that it has received positive feedback from partner agencies.
“The investigators in the Digital Violent Extremism team do incredible work preventing the spread of illegal terrorist content. I’m pleased that this new hashing database will ease the burden on them, as well as increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department.”   

MIL OSI

Business Acquisitions – Family Values Drive Kennards Hire’s Kiwi Hire Group Acquisition

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Source: Kennards Hire

New Plymouth, New Zealand – 5 March 2025: Family-owned equipment hire company, Kennards Hire, is expanding its footprint into New Plymouth, opening its first branch in the Taranaki region with the strategic acquisition of Kiwi Hire Group.

Following recent openings in Napier and Taupō, the move into New Plymouth marks Kennards Hire’s 31st branch in New Zealand, reinforcing the company’s ongoing commitment to building local communities and industries across the country.

The origins of Kiwi Hire Group go back to 2016 when the Potter family first started building up the business. Over the years, it grew into a trusted name in the Taranaki region, providing specialist gear to local businesses, construction professionals, and DIY customers.

Previously owned and operated by Brad and Christine Potter, the husband-and-wife team will now continue to manage the new Kennards Hire branch. The Potter duo was also delighted to have the majority of the Kiwi Hire Group decide to join the Kennards Hire family in this new chapter.

Brad Potter, Branch Manager of Kennards Hire New Plymouth, said:  “Through this acquisition, our goal is to ensure that our customers, and staff, continue to be well looked after. Kennards Hire is a family-owned business with the same aligned values as Kiwi Hire Group – and this has made all the difference.

“Beyond that family connection, our combined expertise and an expanded range of quality equipment will allow us to provide the best possible service to the community for many more years.”

Speaking about the acquisition, Tom Kimber, General Manager of Kennards Hire New Zealand, said: “Following recent branch openings in Taupō and Napier, this new location establishes a key foothold on the west coast of the North Island. Its strategic positioning enhances connectivity between major regional centres, including Taupō, South Waikato, Palmerston North, and Whanganui, enabling us to better support local businesses and communities.

“What makes this expansion even more special is the strong family connection between our businesses. Like Kennards Hire, Kiwi Hire Group is a family-run company built on a foundation of trust, expertise, and customer-first service. We’re proud to continue their legacy and bring our shared values to the New Plymouth community.”

In partnership with KidsCan, Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading charity dedicated to helping children affected by poverty, Kennards Hire New Plymouth will be actively supporting the local community, including partnerships with 11 schools in the region through the KidsCan School Buddy Programme.

Talking to this community engagement, Brad Potter said: “Kiwi Hire Group has always championed our local community, and now, as part of the Kennards Hire family, those values will live on – whether through sponsoring local events like Americarna or supporting schools through the KidsCan partnership. We are immensely proud to contribute to this commitment.”

Christine Potter, Assistant Branch Manager of Kennards Hire New Plymouth, also added: “Becoming part of the Kennards Hire family marks an exciting new chapter in our journey. It will enable us to share our expertise, strengthen the team, broaden our offerings to the local community, and above all, continue delivering outstanding service to our customers.”

The new branch will offer a wide range of high-quality equipment hire products and services as well as access to specialty branches in the region, all made easier through Kennards Hire’s online booking platform.

To celebrate the new opening, Kennards Hire is teaming up with The Rock Taranaki and hosting a Tradie Breakfast at the Kennards Hire New Plymouth Branch, 643 Devon Road on the 7th of March, from 6:30am to 8:30am. For more information, visit the event page here: https://www.rova.nz/events/the-rock-taranaki-kennards-hire-new-plymouth-tradie-breakfast

About Kennards Hire:

About Kennards Hire – New Zealand Kennards Hire is a family-owned and operated company that has been in the hire industry for more than 75 years, with over 215 sites and branches across New Zealand and Australia. Since 1948, its diverse product range extends from general hire equipment for the home renovator and professional tradesperson to specialist equipment and heavy machinery used on some of the largest civil infrastructure and commercial construction projects in two countries. Eden Park Icon Partner, Forsyth Barr Stadium Partner, proud member of the Family Business Association, Member of Hire Industry Association New Zealand, major supporter of KidsCan and Springboard Community Works. Kennardshire.co.nz

Kennards Hire New Plymouth is now open at open at 643 Devon Rd,

About the KidsCan School Buddy Programme:

KidsCan is supported by Kennards Hire and the Kennards Hire Foundation.

Kennards Hire has been running the KidsCan School Buddy Programme since 2014, to help enhance learning environments by offering essential equipment, expert guidance, and volunteer support. Today, up to 367 KidsCan-affiliated schools across the country benefit from this Programme.

To find out more about the valuable work that KidsCan does, visit their website: https://www.kidscan.org.nz/

MIL OSI

Greenpeace – Fonterra’s palm kernel supply link to illegal palm operations bad news for Nestlé

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Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace Aotearoa says Fonterra’s entire supply chain is tainted with illegal palm products after all of the major importers of palm kernel into New Zealand have been found to be illegally operating palm plantations in Indonesia.
A decree from the Indonesian Minister of Forestry released a list of 436 companies operating palm plantations without proper permits in Indonesian forest areas. New Zealand’s main importers of palm kernel – Wilmar International, Viterra, GAR, Musim Mas and Apical – are all implicated in this list of illegal operators.
Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Over the last 20 years, nearly 10 million hectares of primary forest have been destroyed in Indonesia, and palm plantations have been the leading driver of that deforestation. It is shameful that New Zealand’s dairy industry, led by Fonterra, continues to contribute to this destruction through its reliance on palm kernel.”
New Zealand is the world’s biggest importer of palm kernel, importing nearly 2 million tonnes annually from Southeast Asia. Palm kernel is used as a supplementary feed for dairy cows, particularly during dry summer months when there isn’t enough grass to feed the dairy herd. The main importer of palm kernel to New Zealand is Wilmar International, the parent company of Agrifeeds, which sells its palm kernel exclusively through Fonterra’s Farm Source stores.
“This new evidence indicates that Fonterra and Agrifeeds are both complicit in deforestation and the destruction of rare wildlife habitat in Southeast Asia,” says Deighton-O’Flynn.
“When Fonterra uses deforestation-linked palm kernel, it becomes embedded in its dairy products, tainting its entire supply chain. This means products like Kit Kat, Snickers bars and Milo, which are made with Fonterra’s dairy, are linked to deforestation too.”
An analysis published by Greenpeace Indonesia indicated that as of 2019, illegal oil palm plantings in Indonesia’s forest estate occupied 183,687 hectares of land previously mapped as orangutan habitat and 148,839 hectares of Sumatran tiger habitat. Both species are critically endangered.
In Decree 36/2025, Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry revealed that over 1 million hectares of forest are being used for palm plantations illegally, with 790,474 hectares in the process of settlement, while 317,253 hectares have been rejected for settlement.
Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Fonterra made a commitment to zero deforestation in its supply chains by 2025, and its biggest customers like Nestlé, MARS and Danone all have Zero Deforestation policies. However, this Indonesian Government decree implicates all of these companies in illegal operations and associated historic deforestation in Indonesia.”
Wilmar International, and many of the other companies listed hold Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certifications. A Greenpeace report from 2021, found that certifications like RSPO are weak tools to protect rainforests and peatlands from deforestation.
“Fonterra must ban the use of rainforest-destroying palm kernel on all of its farms across the country in light of these new developments. The company cannot continue to claim to be deforestation-free while relying on this destructive feed.”
In late 2024, Greenpeace announced it was suing Fonterra for false claims on its Anchor Butter packaging. The packaging bore a label reading ‘100% New Zealand grass-fed’, despite Fonterra’s own policy allowing for up to 20% of a cow’s diet to be palm kernel. Since the lawsuit was announced on September 30th, the dairy giant has changed the logo on the packaging – but the grass-fed claim remains.
Deighton O’Flynn says, “Fonterra must phase out the use of palm kernel, instead of relying on greenwash tactics, like misleading logos, weak sustainability certifications and a deforestation policy that ignores rainforest destroying palm kernel.
“As Fonterra looks to sell its consumer brands, we’re issuing a warning to potential buyers. Fonterra’s grass is not as green as they claim it is – in fact, in some cases, it isn’t grass at all.”

MIL OSI

Universities – Student wellbeing probed on biggest campus in Aotearoa New Zealand – UoA

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Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

One of the country’s biggest investigations into student wellbeing is being carried out by psychology students and their teachers at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

In-depth interviews with more than 100 undergraduate students from minority and marginalised groups such as Māori, Pasifika, Chinese, South Asian, and LGBTQIA+ will inform student support on the nation’s biggest campus, which has 47,000 students. Most of the research is being carried out by nine postgraduate students.

Professor Kerry Gibson, who’s Pākeha, and Dr Sarah Kapeli, of Tongan descent, lead the project, which is backed by University leadership including the Vice-Chancellor and the Māori and Pacific Pro-Vice Chancellors. Recommendations on how to better support students are likely to come later this year and facilitating connection will be key.

“When students come to university it is for more than just a degree. It’s a time when young people are working out who they want to be and how they fit in the world,” said Gibson. “This is more important than ever after Covid had such a disruptive effect on young people’s learning and socialising.”

Rates of mental health problems are increasing among university students, according to international studies.

“Changing the environment so that it supports students better will help their academic success and also help prevent the development of mental health problems in this age group and into adulthood,” Gibson said.

Stresses reported by students in the Auckland study include:

academic pressure
academic competition
financial insecurity
balancing paid work and university work
balancing home and family commitments with university
feeling disconnected and isolated in a large institution
wider worries such as a competitive job market and climate change

 
“Finding a sense of belonging is central to young people’s success at university and later in life,” said Kapeli. “Feeling comfortable at university is important for all students but can be particularly challenging for marginalised groups of students.”

Challenges for Sāmoan and Tongan students include juggling family-comes-first commitments with university life and working out where self-care fits within collectivist values, say masters students Seulele Vine and Malia Vaka’uta. Pasifika students value Pasifika spaces on campus and highlight the role of religiosity or spirituality in wellbeing.
 
In the study, interviews, talanoa and kōrero have mostly been conducted by researchers from the same minority or marginalised groups as the interviewees.

Jemma Dixon, Shelby Symons, and Jack Dobson are researching Māori students’ experiences; Skyler Hsieh, Rainbow students; Senuri Panditharatne, South Asian students; and Kahn Tasker, Chinese students. Emma Johnston is studying the impact of existential threats such as climate change.

The first theses based on the research, which began in 2022, were submitted last month.

“For some students, it’s been cathartic,” says Kapeli. “They’ve never been asked questions like this before. We know that some are struggling – they don’t know where to get help or don’t think they can ask for help.”

Also contributing to the project are Kaiwhakaako Mātai Hinengaro Hineatua Parkinson and Dr Roshini Peiris-John, co-director of the University’s Centre for Asian and Ethnic Minority Health Research and Evaluation.  The Spencer Foundation, a US organisation funding education research, contributed US$50,000 toward Māori and Pasifika aspects of the study.

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The Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm has officially been inaugurated

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Source: Media Outreach

  • 640MW sustainable and clean energy
  • Delivering lasting value for all stakeholders
  • Providing clean energy to over 600,000 households
  • Major milestone for Taiwan’s offshore wind energy sector

HAMBURG, GERMANY – EQS Newswire – 4 March 2025 – Skyborn Renewables (Skyborn) and its partners in Yunneng Wind Power Co., Ltd. (Yunneng) are pleased to announce that the Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) has been official inaugurated. With a total capacity of 640 MW installed, the Yunlin OWF is now fully operational and connected to the grid, solidifying its position as one of the region’s largest offshore wind farms. This milestone marks a significant achievement for Taiwan’s offshore wind energy sector, contributing to the nation’s transition towards clean and sustainable energy. Skyborn has been responsible for the development, construction and operation of the Yunlin OWF. Following the commercial operations date (COD), which is envisaged for June 2025, TotalEnergies will take the lead of the technical operations management, while Skyborn will continue to oversee other management services.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the Santiaolun Beach & Water Park in Sihu Township, and offered guests a unique view of the Yunlin OWF, located just 8 km off the picturesque coastline of Yunlin County. Esteemed guests included representatives of the Taiwanese government and authorities, senior executives of the joint venture partners TotalEnergies, Electricity Generating Public Company and Sojitz Corporation as well as financing banks, contractors, suppliers, and media representatives.

Official inauguration of the 640 MW Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm in Taiwan.

From the left: Masayoshi Fujimoto (CEO, Sojitz), Wong Su-jhen (Chief Secretary of Energy Administration), Chang Ming-ping (Director-General of Investment Promotion Department (MOEA)), Olivier Jouny (Senior Vice President Renewables, TotalEnergies), Cynthia Kiang (Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs), XS Koo (Chairperson,YWPC), Hsieh Su-ya (Deputy Mayor of Yunlin County), Patrick Lammers (CEO, Skyborn Renewables), Wu Long-jing (Director of Marine Resources Department (Ocean Affairs Council)), Dr. Jiraporn Sirikum (CEO, EGCO)

“With today’s inauguration, we celebrate a significant achievement for Skyborn, our partners in Yunneng, and for Taiwan. The Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm is not any project: It is one of Taiwan’s largest offshore wind farms and Skyborn’s first operational project in APAC. It is the proof of our ability to delivering on our commitments. I want to thank all those involved, especially our partners and shareholders as well as the Taiwanese government for their support throughout this project. The Yunlin OWF is a landmark project for Taiwan’s clean energy transition. We are proud to contribute to this transformative endeavour alongside our partners,” said Patrick Lammers, CEO of Skyborn.

About the project

The Yunlin OWF is located in the Taiwan Strait, between 8 and 17 km off the west coast of Taiwan, at water depths from 7 up to 35 m. The 82 km² project area comprises 80 wind turbine generators, whose generated electricity is fed into the Taiwanese power grid via two onshore substations near the townships of Taixi and Sihu in Yunlin County. Electricity from the project is provided to Taiwan Power Company (TPC) under two 20-year power purchase agreements. The project is backed by a strong financial consortium established in 2019, including Taiwanese and international banks alongside export credit agencies.

Skyborn was awarded the grid capacity for the Yunlin OWF in 2018 as part of the Round II offshore wind farm auction, whereby the Yunlin OWF was the first offshore wind farm in Taiwan to incorporate locally manufactured components.

Skyborn acted as a delivery platform, starting with the initial development and site allocation, through environmental impact assessments, local stakeholder engagement, grid capacity and permitting awards, until construction until its inauguration today. The experience and technology Skyborn introduced as well as the active collaboration with local businesses supported the development of a local Taiwanese supply chain.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

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