Wind power has become the nation’s second-most important source of green energy after solar power, and is helping to keep the nation’s power grid online, Taiwan Power Co (台電, Taipower) said yesterday.
Total wind power generation hit a record 1.63 gigawatt-hours (GWh) on Tuesday, Taipower said.
Offshore wind power generated 1.38GWh on Friday, the first time that total output from offshore stations has exceeded 1GWh, it said.
Photo: Lin Ching-hua, Taipei Times
Taiwan has excellent locations for wind farms, especially with the northeastern monsoon winds setting in during autumn, Taipower said.
As of August, power generated from wind turbines this year — especially after government and private efforts to increase the number of turbines — reached 2.89TWh, 94.1 percent more than the same period last year, the company said, adding that more turbines are becoming operational.
In July, total storage capacity for wind turbine-generated power grew to 2.25GWh, three times more than the 671MWh in July 2016, it said.
Taipower’s policy regarding power needs is to prioritize green energy usage, which the company said has helped to reduce the use of power from coal-fired plants or natural gas.
Reducing the power grid’s reliance on coal-fired generators ahead of the air pollution season would help reduce emissions, it added.
Power generators running on natural gas, which are able to increase or reduce power production quickly, can be used along with green energy to provide rapid backup power, Taipower said, adding that using more natural gas-powered generators as opposed to coal-fired generators would help to maintain a stable power grid while meeting environmental conservation goals.
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