Effect of Taiwan's energy policy on unit commitment in 2025

Abstract

This study presents the effect of Taiwan's energy policy on its unit commitment in the year 2025. Taiwan's energy policy has been changing since 2005, since when it has required the decommissioning of nuclear power plants in response to the crisis in Fukushima, the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, and the increase of renewable sources of power generation to 20% of its energy mix. The paper models the unit commitment for the Taiwan power system under Taiwan's energy policy. The study compares unit commitments in 2018, summer 2025, and winter 2025 using AMPL Software with the CPLEX 12.9.0 Solver. The results show that the net demand curve will change by 2025, forming a “duck – curve” model due to the high penetration of renewable energy. The daily carbon dioxide emission in 2018 for five percent (5%) spinning reserve is 392,151,000 kg. The said amount is larger than in winter 2025 when it will be 311,314,000 kg indicating the importance of the full implementation of renewable energy projects in helping to reach Taiwan's goal to limit carbon dioxide emission by 2025. Pumped storage scheduling changes from conventional pumping in the early morning to pumping from around noon to late afternoon due to the high penetration of renewable energy. The construction of combined-cycle units will have a critical role in the achieving of the spinning reserve capacity goal set by the Taiwan government, to avoid the importation of energy and to maintain the energy security of the country.