Permanent storage in deep geological repositories is the current international standard for final disposal of nuclear waste, but in practice this solution has so far proven extremely difficult to accomplish. The U.S. government has de-funded its deep geological repository at Yucca Mountain, and most nations have yet to begin development of similar facilities. Finland is…
Taiwan is making big moves in solar and offshore wind, but are there also other energy forms that deserve attention? As Taiwan progresses toward its goal of 20% of power generation from renewable energy sources, the shortcomings of solar and wind are becoming increasingly evident. Solar power requires vast swathes of land, a precious commodity…
A dispute between Taipower and New Taipei City over interim spent-fuel storage is complicating the shuttering of nuclear power plants. After the second reactor of the Chinshan nuclear power plant reached the end of its 40-year licensing period last July, the plant became the first of Taiwan’s three nuclear power facilities to enter the stage…
Two industrial sectors appear particularly promising for Taiwan to develop as a regional center for the Asia Pacific. The best opportunities for Taiwan to play a strong regional role may lie with its fast-developing capability in offshore wind power and its already well-established foundation as a high-tech R&D center. Taiwan has big expectations for wind…
Offshore Wind Enters Commercial Stage President Tsai Ing-wen attended the inauguration of Taiwan’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, Formosa 1, on November 12 in a ceremony at the Longfeng Fishing Harbor in Miaoli. Located between two and six kilometers off the coast of Miaoli, the NT$18.7 billion (over US$623 million), 128-megawatt (MW) project is designed…
Given the right government policy and smart marketing by local manufacturers, Taiwan’s love affair with scooters could help the environment. It’s a daily commute for tens of thousands of people, but it has also become an annual pilgrimage for electric motorcycle owners. In what is known as the “motorcycle waterfall,” scooters jostle for position like…
Drive through the countryside in the central Taiwan counties of Yunlin, Changhua, and Chiayi and you’re bound to notice the many barns and chicken coops with substantial solar arrays installed on their roofs. Development of solar power is a major part of Taiwan’s plan to transform its energy sector, eliminating nuclear power generation and bringing…
Amid progress on major projects, the sale of shares by pioneering local offshore wind-power developer Swancor underscores the challenges facing Taiwanese companies. With the scheduled completion next month of the installation of twenty 6-megawatt (MW) turbines off the coast of Miaoli County, Taiwan’s offshore wind-power development program enters a new stage. When the 90-meter-tall masts…
The combination of political and physical obstacles will almost certainly forestall any extension of Taiwan’s nuclear power sector. Last November, Taiwan seemed to do an about-face on the issue of nuclear power. Although Tsai Ing-wen of the anti-nuclear Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had been elected president in 2016, voters approved a referendum negating the amendment…
The importance of renewable energy development to Taiwan’s economic future was spotlighted at the first annual Asia-Pacific Renewable Energy Market Summit held July 9 at the Renaissance Taipei Shilin Hotel. Over 240 participants from around the world gathered to exchange ideas on the future of renewable energy in Taiwan and the greater Asia-Pacific region. The…
