Taiwan has the potential to become a global leader in renewable energy development if it succeeds in energy transformation, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told an international symposium in Taipei yesterday.
The International Symposium on Sustainability Science was held by the Academia Sinica and attended by about 350 academics from the US, Japan, Australia and other countries.
The symposium aims to raise international awareness about sustainability and air pollution; to promote international collaboration; and bring international views and experiences to local communities, Academia Sinica President James Liao (廖俊智) said.
Photo: CNA
In her opening speech, Tsai quoted former US president Barack Obama as saying at the UN Climate Summit in 2014: “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.”
Although Taiwan is not a UN member, it endeavors to contribute to sustainable development in its region and in the world, she said.
As the government plans to generate 20 percent of the nation’s electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025, it is working to develop the sector by attracting domestic and foreign investments, and by promoting the Executive Yuan’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, she said.
“One of the world’s best wind farm sites is off Changhua County,” Tsai said.
In the first panel discussion, International Council for Science president Gordon McBean asked how Taiwan plans to achieve its renewable energy generation goal.
“It is a difficult goal,” Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Yang Wei-fu (楊偉甫) said, adding that the ministry is working to achieve the goal by promoting a two-year photovoltaic power project and a four-year offshore wind power project.
Speaking about the nation’s decarbonization goal, Yang said the ministry plans to improve coal-burning facilities at state-run utilities, such as Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) and CPC Corp, Taiwan.
Taipower has budgeted NT$9 billion (US$297.6 million) to install desulfurization facilities at its coal-fired and gas-fired power plants, Yang said, adding that the ministry is working closely with the Environmental Protection Administration to curb air pollution.
As for Vice President Chen Chien-jen’s (陳建仁) statement on Saturday that the nation can phase out coal-fired power plants by 2050, Yang said it is “a vision” without a concrete plan at present.
To phase out coal-fired power plants, the nation must have sufficient and diversified sources of energy, especially when the transportation and storage of natural gas have certain risks, he said.
In related news, the National Applied Research Laboratories is today to establish a “green” energy research alliance in Tainan in a bid to integrate industrial and academic resources to promote renewable energy development in the planned Shalun Green Energy Science City.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS