State-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) yesterday said it plans to invest more than NT$400 billion (US$11.89 billion) in the development of renewable energy sources over the next 15 years, with the aim of expanding the nation’s total installed offshore wind power capacity to 180 megawatts (MW) and total installed solar power capacity to 100MW by 2030.
The company also aims to bring land-based wind energy capacity and thermal power capacity up to a total of 70MW by that time.
Over the past 15 years, Taipower has completed six wind power projects, involving the installation of 169 wind turbines.
The company has completed the first phase of a solar energy development project, which includes 16 energy generation facilities with a total capacity of 1.82MW.
Cumulative installed wind power and solar power capacity is about 30MW, the company said.
Work on an offshore wind power development project in Changhua County’s Fangyuan Township (芳苑) is scheduled to start in 2018, which is expected to attract investment of more than NT$45 billion in related fields.
The company also plans to harness energy from geothermal sources in volcanic areas of Taitung and Yangmingshan in Taipei over the next four years.
It has also concluded feasibility studies on several hydropower projects using water resources from the Liyutan Reservoir (鯉魚潭水庫) in Miaoli County, the Hushan Reservoir (湖山水庫) in Yunlin County and the Jiji Weir (集集攔河堰) in Nantou County.
Work on the Liyutan project is scheduled to start in 2017 and the hydropower plant there is set to start commercial operations in 2020, Taipower said.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
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