German power company InfraVest Wind Power Co yesterday celebrated the groundbreaking for two of its wind-powered electric plants in Taiwan, which are scheduled to supply clean energy to the nation's households by the end of the year.
The two plants, which plan to contain 25 wind-turbine generators, officially started construction on March 15 in Miaoli County. The total capacity will be 49,800 kilowatt-hours, the largest in Asia.
The electricity generated by InfraVest will be sold to state-run Taiwan Power Co (台電), the sole electricity distributor in the nation, at NT$2 per kilowatt-hour in accordance with the Statute on the Development of Renewable Energy (再生能源發展條例), Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥) said yesterday at the ceremony.
InfraVest is the first private wind power company to supply electricity for consumer use in Taiwan.
"With the rising environmental consciousness that urges the use of green energy, we hope renewable power will account for 6.5 million kilowatt-hours, or 10 percent of Taiwan's total power generation by 2010," Ho said.
Through the investment project, the government also hopes to bring in NT$300 billion (US$9.5 billion) for local equipment manufacturers, as well as technology transfers to domestic private power companies to exploit the resource, Ho said.
According to official estimate, Taiwan has 1 million kilowatt-hours installed capacity of wind power on land and 2 million kilowatt-hours at sea, Ho said.
Ulrich Dreesen, director-general of the German Institute, who also attended the ceremony, said InfraVest invested in about 66.8 million euros (US$86.19 million) with an export credit guarantee from the German government to finance a foreign project for the first time, showing his government's confidence in the Taiwanese market.
In addition to the plants in Miaoli, InfraVest also plans to build up another power station in Taisugar's Aoku Farm (
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