The government plans to spend NT$2.5 billion (US$81.82 million) improving infrastructure at Taichung Port to transform it into a base for the development of offshore wind energy, the Taiwan International Ports Corp (TIPC) said.
The project would be funded mainly by a special budget for the Forward-looking Infrastructure Construction Project, a series of projects that the government plans to finish within eight years, TIPC said.
TIPC Taichung branch office chief secretary Cheng Shu-hui (鄭淑惠) said that the funding would be used to renovate the port’s 5A and 5B docks and build a new dock, No. 106, with those areas to be used to assemble offshore wind power generator components.
The work is to be completed by 2019, Cheng said.
TIPC is to provide 100 hectares of Taichung Port land and spend NT$350 million building roads and other infrastructure to attract investments from domestic suppliers that produce parts for wind power generators, she said.
Cheng said that the government has been pursuing the development of “green” energy infrastructure and electricity generated by offshore wind turbines is a key source.
The Executive Yuan approved a plan to build 1,000 wind turbines on land and offshore, Cheng said.
The plan stipulates that offshore wind turbines would have storage capacity of 3 gigawatts by 2025, she said, adding that sources of renewable energy would account for 20 percent of the nation’s electricity supply in the same year.
Based on evaluations conducted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Cheng said the most ideal area for wind energy development is the coastal area south of Hsinchu County and north of Changhua County.
Most of the sites chosen by the ministry to install wind turbines are off the coast of Changhwa, she said.
“Offshore wind turbines are large machines that require a lot of space to assemble,” Cheng said. “Taking into account the risks of installing the turbines at sea and accessibility to the generators, one has to choose the port that is closest to the wind farm.”
Apart from being an international port and the closest seaport to the wind farm, Cheng said that Taichung Port was chosen as a base because it is a deep-water port that can accommodate large ships that are needed to transport parts for turbines.
The port has well-established infrastructure and lots of space for logistics support, she added.
Domestic and international wind power suppliers have expressed interest in establishing logistics zones at the port, TIPC said.
TIPC vice president of business Tsai Ting-yi (蔡丁義) said the company is confident that the port would become a base for the wind energy industry.
The company could raise funds to continue the project if a special budget for the Forward-looking Infrastructure Construction Project is not approved by legislators, Tsai said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.