To some, the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research in Lungtan (
"In those days, the `nuclear-free homeland' initiative was taken seriously," said Kuo Cherng-tsong (郭成聰), director of the nuclear instrumentation division at the institute.
"We had to look for new research projects to remain relevant," he said.
Institute researchers realized that the technology used to build and design semiconductor-based radiation detectors could be applied to building photovoltaic solar cells.
Using new high-concentration photovoltaic technology, the institute has achieved a 20 percent overall efficiency rating for its solar arrays and has received eight patents around the world.
Researchers claim that the high-concentration photovoltaic technology developed at the institute could yield rich dividends for the environment and for semiconductor technology, although the payoff may not come for several years.
Industry was slow to work with the institute earlier this decade because oil prices were low.
However, industry interest in the institute's technology has grown as oil prices climb and concerns over global warming mount.
An example of the increasing interest was the NT$5 million (US$150,000) technology transfer contract the institute signed with a company that did not want to be named.
"Taiwan is well positioned to enter the rapidly growing market in photovoltaic solar cells with our large, mature semiconductor industry," Kuo said.
Kuo said that the name of the institute might need to be changed in the future to reflect the fact that its research has grown beyond nuclear science.
Nevertheless, with the nuclear-free homeland initiative losing momentum and the construction of the nation's fourth nuclear plant continuing, the institute will continue to conduct nuclear research, Kuo said.
The same factors that have spurred interest in solar cells have also renewed interest in nuclear power, Kuo said.
"If 1992 was the nuclear winter, it is now springtime for nuclear energy," Kuo said. "We need a multifaceted approach to solving the energy problem."
Although environmentalists applaud the progress made in solar cell technology, they are less welcoming about the return of nuclear power.
Ho Tsung-hsin (
"As it is, we have three nuclear plants in northern Taiwan and one in the south," Ho said. "This means that our small island has the highest concentration of nuclear plants in the world."
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