A Taiwanese company is seeking to introduce its state-of-the-art colored solar panel system to Palau in a bid to promote its technology overseas and develop the Pacific nation’s green energy sector.
At a ceremony in Taipei on Friday, Palauan Minister of State Gustav Aitaro signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with representatives from Join It Sustainable Tech Co and the Taiwan Intelligent Zero Carbon Building Alliance.
The signing of the MOU, witnessed by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Interior, would pave the way for Join It Sustainable to bring its photovoltaic paint technology to Palau.
Photo: CNA
Aitaro said the colored-painted solar panel system, which can display advertisements, would drive Palau’s energy transformation and give the island state a new way of highlighting its cultural heritage without disrupting its landscape.
The application of this technology would “leave a lasting mark” on the cooperation between Palau and Taiwan, he said, adding that it goes beyond technological exchange, and serves as a testament to “our friendship, cultural exchanges and shared determination to build a sustainable future together.”
Color-painted solar panels are coated with a special colored or decorative layer on top of traditional photovoltaic panels and are usually attached to building facades.
Join It Sustainable said that its color-painted solar panels, although more expensive and with a higher technical threshold, generates electricity on a par with traditional panels, while also providing the additional function of displaying advertisements.
The company said it aimed to install the first color-painted solar panel in Palau by the third quarter of this year.
Join It Sustainable chairman Hsueh Wei-li (薛煒立) thanked the Palaun and Taiwanese governments as well as the company’s partners for their support in the company’s bid to introduce its technology abroad.
Friday’s MOU marked “a new chapter of energy transformation in Palau,” Hsueh said, adding that he looked forward to seeing the color-painted solar panel system “shine on the global stage.”
Deputy Minister of the Interior Dong Jian-hong (董建宏) said the MOU would not only facilitate technological exchanges between Taiwan and Palau, but also demonstrate Taiwan’s firm commitment to international sustainable development.
The color-painted solar panel system would “showcase Taiwan’s innovative capabilities and provide practical solutions to global climate change challenges,” he said.
Alain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," praised Alex Honnold as exceptionally well-prepared after the US climber completed a free solo ascent of Taipei 101 yesterday. Robert said Honnold's ascent of the 508m-tall skyscraper in just more than one-and-a-half hours without using safety ropes or equipment was a remarkable achievement. "This is my life," he said in an interview conducted in French, adding that he liked the feeling of being "on the edge of danger." The 63-year-old Frenchman climbed Taipei 101 using ropes in December 2004, taking about four hours to reach the top. On a one-to-10 scale of difficulty, Robert said Taipei 101
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
US climber Alex Honnold left Taiwan this morning a day after completing a free-solo ascent of Taipei 101, a feat that drew cheers from onlookers and gained widespread international attention. Honnold yesterday scaled the 101-story skyscraper without a rope or safety harness. The climb — the highest urban free-solo ascent ever attempted — took just more than 90 minutes and was streamed live on Netflix. It was covered by major international news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. As Honnold prepared to leave Taiwan today, he attracted a crowd when he and his wife, Sanni,
Taiwanese and US defense groups are collaborating to introduce deployable, semi-autonomous manufacturing systems for drones and components in a boost to the nation’s supply chain resilience. Taiwan’s G-Tech Optroelectronics Corp subsidiary GTOC and the US’ Aerkomm Inc on Friday announced an agreement with fellow US-based Firestorm Lab to adopt the latter’s xCell, a technology featuring 3D printers fitted in 6.1m container units. The systems enable aerial platforms and parts to be produced in high volumes from dispersed nodes capable of rapid redeployment, to minimize the risk of enemy strikes and to meet field requirements, they said. Firestorm chief technology officer Ian Muceus said