An animal shelter in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和) has become the city’s first to use solar panels, bringing a yearly savings in utility costs that could buy 840kg of dog food, the New Taipei City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office said on Friday.
Solar panels were last month installed on nearly 1,000m2 of the shelter’s roof last month, thanks to a joint venture between the city government and a photovoltaic company, the agency said in a statement.
The solar panels have been made of semiconductive material that uses sunlight to generate electrical energy in a process that does not emit carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, agency deputy director Huang Chia-wen (黃嘉文) said.
Photo courtesy of New Taipei City Government Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office
The project helps the agency contribute to Taiwan’s efforts to cut carbon emissions, while having a cooling effect on the shelter, she said, adding that the solar panels have improved the shelter’s insulation and air circulation in the dog pens.
The panels are powering air-conditioners, which would lower the temperatures in the dog pens by 3°C to 5°C during the summer, shelter veterinarian Huang Chih-ting (黃繼霆) said.
The solar cells can generate 76,000 kilowatts of power and cut carbon emissions by 38,000 tonnes, which is equivalent to planting 3,199 trees, she said.
The green energy project has enabled the shelter to get value out of unused floor space, improve conditions for the animals and protect the environment, she added.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
RSS