Renewable energy sources are expected to make up 10 percent of total electricity production this year, Bureau of Energy officials said, buoying hopes that the nation’s green energy transition will get back on track following years of disappointing progress amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, more solar farms than any other year were built in Taiwan, and the pace of construction of offshore wind turbines increased as contractors gained experience, the officials said.
These developments — in conjunction with a projection that the nation’s energy consumption would decrease this year — would put Taiwan within reach of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ revised target of boosting renewable energy sources to 20 percent of electricity production by 2026, they said.
Photo courtesy of Tainan Bureau of Transportation via CNA
The ministry last month extended the deadline for getting 20 percent of the nation’s electricity from renewable sources by a year after delays caused by pandemic-related work and supply chain disruptions.
Under the new plan, solar energy production must be increased from a previous target of 10 gigawatts (GW) to 14GW by the end of the year.
The bureau has installed enough solar panels over fish farms to generate 2.5GW of energy, of which 2GW was integrated into the grid, and 0.5GW is to go online in the next three months, they said.
To expand solar energy production this year, the government would seek to install solar panels over fish farms in Tainan and Chiayi County, low-yield agricultural land owned by Taiwan Sugar Corp (台糖) and at the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park (彰濱工業區), they said.
A new wind farm off southwestern Changhua County is already online, they said.
By the end of the year, three solar farms off Changhua and the Formosa II wind power project off Miaoli County would also be activated, adding 0.8GW to the nation’s energy supply, they said.
The renewable energy sources last year made up 8.6 percent of the nation’s total electricity production, and no significant problems are foreseen in reaching the 10 percent target set for this year, they said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old