Ericsson teams up with Chunghwa Telecom to connect Ørsted offshore wind farms
Ericsson partners with Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) to build Asia's first 5G-ready network for Ørsted’s Greater Changhua 1 & 2a Offshore Wind Farms.
The cooperation marks a new milestone in private networks for Taiwanese enterprises. The new private network will be deployed at wind farms off the coast of Changhua, Taiwan and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2021.
Maintaining strong connection and communication quality is often a challenge at offshore wind farms because they are typically outside of the normal coverage range of 4G mobile networks. The partnership between CHT and Ericsson, to construct 4G LTE private networks, will enable Ørsted engineers to enjoy high-quality connectivity and optimized workplace communications for daily operations. The 4G network, which will be built on the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands, is 5G-ready, meaning it can be upgraded to operate on 5G through a remote software upgrade.
Christy Wang, General Manager of Ørsted Taiwan, says: " Ørsted is proud to work with telecommunication leaders, CHT and Ericsson, to pioneer communications technology for offshore wind in Taiwan. The Greater Changhua 1 & 2a Offshore Wind Farms are the first far-shore and large-scale offshore wind farms in Taiwan. It takes approximately three hours to reach the wind farms by boat and the wind farms cover a significant area at sea, equivalent to 2.6 times the area of Changhua City. Having optimal communications quality is vital to ensure the smooth operation of the wind farms and the work safety of our personnel."
Ming-Shih Chen, President of the Chunghwa Telecom Mobile Business Group, says that private networks must respond to various customers' needs and provide customized network solutions for enterprises.
“By constructing LTE private networks for Ørsted, CHT is helping to ensure the company’s employees will have stable, high-speed, and high-quality 4G mobile connections at wind farms that are located 35 to 60 kilometers from the shore.”
Chafic Nassif, President of Ericsson Taiwan says: "Whether it's 4G or 5G, private networks need an agile and scalable architecture to control and optimize connectivity under different circumstances and be prepared for a company's future 5G applications. Ericsson provides reliable, efficient, and secure solutions through edge computing and network slicing. We are honored by the trust that Ørsted has placed in us as well as the government's support with regard to policy."
Ericsson and CHT have a history of successful collaborations. In March 2020, CHT selected Ericsson to provide the 5G platform for its non-standalone (NSA) New Radio (NR) network in Taiwan. The solution included Ericsson Radio System base stations and 5G Core. The new 5G network was launched commercially in June of 2020.
Photo credit: Ørsted