Following the advent of the industrial revolution, fossil fuels have been massively exploited and as a result, they are beginning to dry up.
Energy is vital to industrial development, as most energy is used in industrial processes. Data show that the industrial sector accounts for more than 50 percent of the world’s total energy consumption, mostly in construction, agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
The large volume of literature discussing the energy efficiency and emissions from industrial processes, electric motors, high-pressure air processes and boilers makes it clear that this sector uses a lot of energy.
As a result of environmental concerns and the rapid growth of oil prices, many businesses no longer favor using fossil fuels. Basically, the use of renewable energy systems in the industrial sector can lead to significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
This is the reason traditional energy consumption should be shifted toward renewables, and it is imperative that the industrial sector develops and applies new energy technologies.
Among the sources of renewable energy, solar has received the most attention because it is the most attractive option for the industrial sector. Solar energy is inexhaustible and does not create noise or air pollution. Thus far, the industrial sector has harnessed solar energy through collectors, photovoltaic panels, trackers and giant mirrors among others.
The application of solar energy in industry can be divided into two categories: solar thermal energy and solar photovoltaic energy. Some common applications include heating water, producing steam, drying and dehydration procedures, preheating, concentration, pasteurization, sterilization, washing, cleaning, chemical reactions, industrial space heating, food, plastics, construction, the textile industry and even the commercial sector.
In the industrial sector, solar energy can be used as a source of power and directly in the industrial process itself. If the application is distinguished by whether any external power is involved, solar energy applications can be divided into passive and active systems.
Passive applications do not require external power and are mainly used in household water heaters. Active applications require external power and have a wider range of applications, including air conditioning, refrigeration, steam production and seawater desalination.
Solar energy systems are reliable and cost-effective, and their primary purpose in the industrial sector is to address energy sustainability issues. According to primary energy consumption data released by Shell, solar power generation will have increased significantly by 2030.
Renewable energy development experience shows that within the solar energy industry chain, smooth coordination among designers, engineers, developers, technical consultants, operations and maintenance personnel, and material suppliers is crucial to sustainable industrial development. However, government and community policy play the key role in making this happen.
Lu Shyi-min is a retired energy policy researcher at the Industrial Technology Research Institute’s Green Energy and Environment Laboratories.
Translated by Lin Lee-kai
In the event of a war with China, Taiwan has some surprisingly tough defenses that could make it as difficult to tackle as a porcupine: A shoreline dotted with swamps, rocks and concrete barriers; conscription for all adult men; highways and airports that are built to double as hardened combat facilities. This porcupine has a soft underbelly, though, and the war in Iran is exposing it: energy. About 39,000 ships dock at Taiwan’s ports each year, more than the 30,000 that transit the Strait of Hormuz. About one-fifth of their inbound tonnage is coal, oil, refined fuels and liquefied natural gas (LNG),
To counter the CCP’s escalating threats, Taiwan must build a national consensus and demonstrate the capability and the will to fight. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) often leans on a seductive mantra to soften its threats, such as “Chinese do not kill Chinese.” The slogan is designed to frame territorial conquest (annexation) as a domestic family matter. A look at the historical ledger reveals a different truth. For the CCP, being labeled “family” has never been a guarantee of safety; it has been the primary prerequisite for state-sanctioned slaughter. From the forced starvation of 150,000 civilians at the Siege of Changchun
The two major opposition parties, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), jointly announced on Tuesday last week that former TPP lawmaker Chang Chi-kai (張啟楷) would be their joint candidate for Chiayi mayor, following polling conducted earlier this month. It is the first case of blue-white (KMT-TPP) cooperation in selecting a joint candidate under an agreement signed by their chairpersons last month. KMT and TPP supporters have blamed their 2024 presidential election loss on failing to decide on a joint candidate, which ended in a dramatic breakdown with participants pointing fingers, calling polls unfair, sobbing and walking
In recent weeks, Taiwan has witnessed a surge of public anxiety over the possible introduction of Indian migrant workers. What began as a policy signal from the Ministry of Labor quickly escalated into a broader controversy. Petitions gathered thousands of signatures within days, political figures issued strong warnings, and social media became saturated with concerns about public safety and social stability. At first glance, this appears to be a straightforward policy question: Should Taiwan introduce Indian migrant workers or not? However, this framing is misleading. The current debate is not fundamentally about India. It is about Taiwan’s labor system, its
RSS