Background
Taiwan’s Renewable Energy Development Act was first announced in 2009. In May of 2019, the largest-scale of amendment was concluded with a target of 20% power supply (27GW) with renewable energy in 2025 which mainly includes 20GW solar energy, 5.5GW offshore wind.
One of the most important amendments is in the Article 12 to give high energy users obligation to install on their own or provide space to install renewable energy power generation and storage facilities with certain installed capacity or purchase a certain amount of electricity generated from renewable energy and a certificate. Meanwhile, the Energy Bureau has initially planned for high energy users with a contract capacity of 5,000 kWh must to install 10% of contract capacity with renewable energy.
To read the Renewable Energy Development Act, please click here.
To read Fit-In-Tariffs, please click here.
Advantages for Taiwan to develop renewable energy industry
Taiwan is an island state measured the total land area around 36,000 km2 and 1,566 km of coastline in East Asia. One third of island is composed of flat plaints in the west and another two thirds are rugged forest-covered mountains in the east.
70% of the island’s geographic formation are mountains up to 4 km tall. Providing perfect conditions for energy storage by using hydro power. Moreover, we can find hot springs at various locations, which is assumed to be a high potential source for geothermal power.
The biggest advantage is the fact that 16 of the world’s best wind corridors are located in the Formosa (Taiwan) Strait combined with relative low water depth. Therefore, perfect conditions for a fixed offshore wind structure to harvest wind energy.
The island has the nickname “treasure island” due to the fact that the Kuroshio currents passes relatively close by the east coastline providing one of the world’s most stable and reliable source for tidal power.
In all waters around the island, we can find a significant wave height providing perfect conditions for wave power.
All combined together, the island of Ilha Formosa (meaning beautiful island) provides a powerhouse for the renewable energy sector to be the world leader for a self-sustaining industrial green island.
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Challenges for Taiwan to develop renewable energy industry
- Typhoon
Typhoons are mature tropical cyclones. The most and strongest ones generate in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea. From 1958 to 2018, there have been in average 26.33 typhoons annually generated in this region and usually in between July and September. Meanwhile, every year in average 3 to 4 typhoons struck Taiwan. Around 30% came in August.Month
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Percentage
3.1%
8.3%
23.3%
29.5%
23.3%
10.4%
1.6%
0.5%
Between 1958 and 2015, in total 108 typhoons made their landfalls in Taiwan and more than 80% roamed from the east coast.
- Earth quake
Taiwan is on the Pacific Ring of Fire and on the convergence of the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian Plate. There are identified 42 active faults on the island.
According to Central Weather Bureau, there were about 18,500 earthquakes occurred in Taiwan each year between 1991 and 2006, of which about 1,000 are perceptible earthquakes..jpg)
- Limited landmass
70% of landmass in Taiwan consists mostly of five rugged mountain ranges parallel to the east coast and makes several peaks over 3,500m. Only 30% land leaves with flat to gently rolling plains. This will raise difficulties for industries like onshore wind and solar to acquire land.