Google has decided to build a data center in Tainan this year, following Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which has long had a factory in the Tainan Science Park (台南科學園區). These factories need an adequate supply of electricity from renewable sources, and Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) has asked the Council of Agriculture to examine and approve a plan to generate electricity from solar panels mounted over fish ponds and not hold up the development of solar power generation in the city.
One problem is that the chosen locations restrict the habitats of threatened black-billed spoonbills in the Cigu Wetlands (七股溼地), harming local fish farmers’ hard-earned reputation for raising fish in an eco-friendly way.
Cigu residents have repeatedly called for a ban on power generation projects on fish farms west of the West Coast Expressway, and for any such systems built east of the highway to keep clear of ecological hot spots, but businesses and government departments believe this demand has no legal basis.
The key is for such projects to stay clear of sensitive ecological hot spots, but although Cigu’s fish farms are feeding grounds for black-faced spoonbills, their locations are not listed as important national wetlands or wildlife conservation areas. There are many other ecological hot spots in Tainan and elsewhere in Taiwan that do not have official conservation status.
Unfortunately, the council, the Bureau of Energy and local governments have not included environmental impact assessments as part of their evaluation of ground-mounted photovoltaic projects, nor do they disclose enough information about the projects or allow sufficient public feedback.
Under pressure from civic groups, the bureau is planning to include environmental assessments in its evaluation procedure for photovoltaic energy projects, but until the regulations are amended, there is nothing to prove that projects approved by central or local governments give adequate consideration to ecological conservation. If projects in Tainan caused ecological degradation, it is unlikely that Google or TSMC would pay to fix it.
Given the need to develop photovoltaic energy in Tainan, Huang should be urging the central government to amend the regulations and convene meetings between representatives of Taijiang National Park (台江國家公園), the Endemic Species Research Institute, birdwatching societies and academic organizations to collate their ecological survey data and compile a list of Tainan’s ecological hot spots.
Renewable energy projects could then be directed to suitable locations, reducing the investment risk of energy businesses and allaying the worries of local residents. The projects would promote economic development in diverse local areas and establish beneficial green energy systems, attracting major international businesses to build factories in Taiwan.
Electricity generation combined with fish farms has become an important item on Tainan’s photovoltaic development agenda. The city government, supported by the Tainan City Council, has once again demonstrated its resolve by proposing regulations to make ground-mounted photovoltaic systems in Tainan subject to its designated list of ecological locations.
Time might be needed to draw up these regulations and compile an ecological database, but these steps would streamline the development of future photovoltaic projects. Every unit of electricity generated in Tainan would then be a source of pride for Taiwan, and for international buyers of Taiwanese goods and services.
Tsai Hui-sun is director of Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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