Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan yesterday urged the government to require the installation of solar panels on new buildings that have a surface area of 300m2 or more to bolster the nation’s use of renewable energy.
The organization made the statement at a joint news conference in Taipei with other environmental groups to announce the launch of a petition in support of proposed regulatory changes.
The Ministry of the Interior is drafting an amendment to the Renewable Energy Development Act (再生能源發展條例) to require photovoltaic panels to be installed on all new or refurbished structures with a surface area equal to or greater than 1,000m2.
Photo: Chen Chia-yi, Taipei Times
Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan member Cheng Tai-chin (鄭泰鈞) said the measures would not go far enough, while the foundation’s plan would put solar panels on 80 percent of new roof space.
The panels would generate an estimated 270 megawatt per year, enough to power 62,000 households and reduce the amount of land needed for solar farm construction by 220 hectares, he said.
On the other hand, the ministry’s plan would only generate enough power to supply 42,000 households and save just 170 hectares of land, Cheng said.
Tsai Huei-hsun (蔡卉荀), another member of the organization, said that cities should not be allowed to continue consuming 70 percent of total electricity production while pushing the responsibility of building renewables onto rural communities.
Although renewables are urgently needed to counter climate change, backlash from local residents against solar farm construction has been significant, said Tai Hsing-sheng (戴興盛), a professor of natural resources and environmental studies at National Dong Hwa University.
Using rooftop solar panels means fewer new solar farms would be needed, reducing the unwanted social impact of construction, he said.
Taiwan Climate Action Network chairman Chao Chia-wei (趙家緯) said the EU’s standards, to be implemented in 2026, are for solar panels to be installed on all new public and commercial buildings with a surface area larger than 250m2.
Taiwan must not allow weak regulations to undo its achievement of being the first country in Asia to pass a law mandating the use of solar panels, he said.
Moreover, the nation’s carbon neutrality goal would be jeopardized if rooftop solar panel energy production failed to reach the key 50 gigawatt target, Chao said.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
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