The Yilan County Government is endangering a geothermal power generation project by denying it land use rights, former Taiwan Environmental Protection Union chairman Kao Cheng-yan (高成炎) said yesterday, announcing that he has asked the Control Yuan to investigate the situation.
Kao, who runs a geothermal power company, told a news conference in Taipei that his firm and National Yilan University have been collaborating on a project to generate geothermal power at the Cingshuei Geothermal Plant by using a well that CPC Corp, Taiwan had drilled in the hope of finding petroleum.
However, ever since the county government awarded a build-operate-transfer (BOT) geothermal power project to another company about three years ago, it has been trying to drive his firm away, he said.
His company is operating on a lease contract between the county government and the university, but the county government has said that it would not continue granting the university land use rights for the well, Kao said.
An Yilan County deputy commissioner in April said that the county would extend the contract until the end of next year, but it has not kept its word, and the contract is scheduled to end today, he said.
His geothermal power generation unit has a capacity of 150 kilowatts (kW), which translates to an annual revenue of NT$5 million (US$160,154) at a price of NT$6.1 per kilowatt-hour, but the other company’s project, which has the rights to use a nearby well with a capacity of 250kW, is more lucrative for the county government.
His facility, which took four-and-a-half years to research and develop, has been generating electricity for public use since April, but has not been paid by Taiwan Power Co, as the county government has refused to grant it a land use permit and a so-called “miscellany waiving permit” for small-scale renewable energy generation facilities, Kao said.
The two wells are on the same plot of land, so he wants to know why his project, which occupies less space, is facing obstacles, while the other firm was able to bypass an environmental review to build its geothermal power generation facility, he said.
“Holdovers from the former Yilan County administration” have apparently hijacked Yilan County Commissioner Lin Zi-miao (林姿妙), Kao said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS