A climate change report published in November by a consortium of German NGOs placed Taiwan near the bottom of a list that ranked 63 countries based on such metrics as carbon emissions, renewable energy, and energy use. Overall, Taiwan received a “very low” performance rating. Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration has disputed the report’s findings, pointing…
Two questions appearing on the ballot for Taiwan’s December referendum are expected to put up major barriers to the island’s plans to transform its energy mix if they pass. On December 18, Taiwan citizens will be voting on four referendum proposals: one to ban pork containing ractopamine, one to combine future referendum votes with national…
As Taiwan moves toward its goal of nuclear decommissioning and increasing renewable energy use, it is threatened with an insufficient electricity supply. To fend off what some say is an imminent crisis, Taiwan must accelerate its development of solar and wind power. When President Tsai Ing-wen ran for Taiwan’s top office, one of her signature…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Fubon acquires majority stake in Jih Sun Fubon Financial Holding Co. announced on March 23 that it had successfully completed the public tender to acquire a 53.84% stake in Jih Sun Financial Holding, making it the largest shareholder…
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…
Decommissioning will keep Taiwan’s nuclear sector busy for decades and potentially offer global opportunities. When unit 2 at the Maanshan nuclear power plant near the southern tip of Taiwan reaches the end of its license on May 17, 2025, all nuclear power generation on Taiwan will cease. At the peak, the six operating reactors had…
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…
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…
2019 Lantern Festival Spotlights Pingtung This year’s national lantern festival was hosted by the southern county of Pingtung and held in the national scenic area of Dapeng Bay. The event highlighted the foods, products, and landscape of Pingtung. Normally the main lantern features the animal on the Chinese zodaic for which the year is named…
