In concert with the government’s plan to achieve a nuclear-free homeland by 2025, the Ministry of Interior on Thursday last week approved an amendment to regulations that will allow existing public cemeteries to install solar power generation equipment on their land. At present, Taiwan contains 2,800 public cemeteries encompassing a total land area of nearly 8,000 hectares. While work to relocate graves has finished on an initial phase of public cemeteries opened up for power generation, the government will prioritize use of unused green spaces. It is anticipated that county and city governments will be in a position to provide more accurate figures in one month’s time.
According to Deputy Director of the ministry’s Department of Civil Affairs Cheng Ying-hung, in recent years cremation has accounted for over 96 percent of all funerals, while burials have made up less than 4 percent. The additional ongoing relocation of graves means that public graveyards now contain idle land which is mostly left as green spaces.
At a press conference at the Executive Yuan on Friday, Cabinet spokesperson Kolas Yotaka said the plan is not to produce electricity directly within graveyards, but on land adjacent to graveyards. Yotaka added the government is moving Heaven and Earth to drive forward green energy and using space adjacent to graveyards is just one of several options. Furthermore, unlike wind power generation, which can create a significant amount of noise, these spaces will be used for solar power generation, and the ministry will carry out rigorous assessments and consult with local government, Yotaka said.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Power Co
照片:台電提供
Also, Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) has constructed the country’s first combined “double green” power station. Dajia River power station is Taiwan’s largest hydroelectric power station and is comprised of seven groups of power generators upstream and downstream of the river basin. Taipower has installed a “floating solar power station” on top of one of the generation unit’s saddle pools. The power station, which was connected to the grid in March, is expected to be able to generate enough power to support the monthly electricity needs of more than 1,000 households and reduce annual carbon emissions by 1.23 million tonnes.
(Liberty Times, translated by Edward Jones)
配合二○二五非核家園目標,內政部上週四修訂通過既有公墓土地容許設置太陽能發電設施,根據初步統計,目前全國公墓超過二八○○處、土地面積近八千公頃;不過,初期開放種電的公墓,以遷葬作業已完成、現狀為綠地閒置狀態等類型為優先,預計一個月後縣市政府將會回報更精確數字。
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
照片:維基共享資源
內政部民政司副司長鄭英弘指出,近幾年殯葬採取火化的比率超過百分之九十六,採取土葬不到百分之四,加上遷葬作業持續進行,部分公墓出現閒置狀態,多數僅是拿來當做綠地。
行政院發言人谷辣斯.尤達卡上週五在行政院記者會表示,這並不是在公墓上直接種電,而是在公墓旁空地,政府現在推動綠能不遺餘力,在墓地週邊可利用的空間發電,是其中的一個選項,而且這並不是像風力發電可能會產生大量噪音,而是屬於太陽光電的發電,相信內政部一定會審慎評估,也會與各地方政府溝通。
另外,台電已打造了全台首座「雙綠能電廠」。大甲溪電廠是全國最大的水力發電廠,整個流域上下游總計有七部發電廠與機組,台電利用其中的馬鞍機組後池設置「水上太陽光電站」,已於今年三月併聯發電,預計提供超過一千戶家庭月用電量,並且年減一百二十三萬噸碳排放量。
(自由時報)
Follow Up
讀後練習
Reading Comprehension
Global concern over nuclear energy safety
The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan is the most serious nuclear power incident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Following the Taihoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, active reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant were automatically shut down. However, the tsunami disabled emergency generators, which meant that pumps necessary to cool the reactors could not be used. This caused three nuclear meltdowns and the release of radioactive material.
The incident caused alarm around the world and sparked a movement to phase-out nuclear power in many countries, including Taiwan, due to concerns that nuclear power may not be as safe as had previously been thought.
However, no fatalities have been linked to radiation leaks following the accident and separate reports by both the UN and WHO found radiation exposure has not led to an increase in mental or physical health problems in babies born after the accident.
An investigation by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent
Investigation Commission found that the plant’s operator had not followed basic safety procedures nor developed evacuation plans. The investigation also found that the Japanese government’s response was inadequate and poorly managed. Decontamination and decommissioning work at the plant is ongoing and is expected to take between 30 to 40 years to complete.
(Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
South Korea’s famous kimchi is falling victim to climate change, with scientists, farmers and manufacturers saying the quality and quantity of the napa cabbage that is pickled to make the ubiquitous dish is suffering due to rising temperatures. Napa cabbage thrives in cooler climates, and is usually planted in mountainous regions where temperatures during the key growing summer season once rarely rose above 25 degrees Celsius. Studies show that warmer weather brought about by climate change is now threatening these crops, so much so that South Korea might not be able to grow napa cabbage one day due to the intensifying heat. “We
On blazing hot summer days, fresh ingredients and cool refreshments straight from a refrigerator feel like nothing short of a miracle. However, chilled foods didn’t begin with modern refrigerators. In fact, the origin of refrigeration precedes the invention of this now-indispensable appliance by centuries. Initially, the quest for refrigeration was motivated more by the desire to cool beverages than to preserve food. The ancient Greeks and Romans, for instance, used snow stored in insulated pits to chill wine. Around the fourth century BC, the Persians made a significant stride in refrigeration techniques when they devised the yakhchal. Fashioned from
A: Apart from “Atom Boyz 2,” reality boy band competition show “SCOOL” is another eye-catcher. B: What’s so special about it? A: Hosted by South Korean boyband Super Junior’s Lee-teuk, the show’s coaches include Taiwanese singers Show Lo, Shou, and several K-pop stars. B: That sounds exciting. A: And the trainees even received training in South Korea. I can’t wait for the show’s debut on Sept. 28. A: 除了《原子少年2》以外,實境男團選秀節目《SCOOL》也很吸睛。 B: 有什麼特別的? A: 該節目的主持人是Super Junior的利特,導師有台灣的羅志祥、婁峻碩、以及多名韓星。 B: 真是令人興奮。 A: 而且訓練生們還被送去南韓受訓,9月28日開播後的表現令人期待。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A: Reality music competition shows have been really popular lately. B: Have you watched “Atom Boyz 2?” A: Of course. Some of the trainees are both good-looking and talented. B: The first season produced several hit boy bands. A: Hopefully, the second season will reveal more young stars. A: 最近實境男團選秀節目受到許多關注。 B: 你有看《原子少年2》嗎? A: 當然啦!有幾位練習生長得帥又有才華。 B: 第1季的節目曾產生好幾個熱門團體。 A: 希望第2季的節目能發掘更多有潛力的新星。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)