Energy In Taiwan Research Articles

Prospects of Taiwan's solar energy development and policy formulation

Taiwan lacks energy stock and has been paying great attention to developing renewable energy to improve energy security and sustain economic growth. Solar energy is attractive to Taiwan's government as the recorded radiation is substantial, and a significant amount of fallow land is available for panel installation. This study investigates the potential solar energy production from Crystalline silicon (c-Si) and cadmium Telluride thin-film (CdTe) cell systems, estimates each system's capital requirement, and compares the economic and environmental benefits to explore effective investment strategy. The results show that, on average, the c-Si module could produce 10,644 GWh per year while the CdTe mode would yield a total electricity of about 9365 GWh. The useful life also plays an essential role in the investment requirement. With a 30-year useful life, the systems can reduce the annualized installation and maintenance cost to about NT$3.16 billion. In terms of offset efficiency, every MWh produced would result in at least 13.63–15.49 metric ton of carbon emission offset, and the offset value per GWh can be up to NT$5.77 million, which provide attractive economic incentives to energy suppliers. We point out that the acquisition of low-cost financing sources such as green bonds, as well as the improvement of current emission trading systems (ETS), would greatly benefit solar energy development.

Referendum as a policy instrument to enhance energy democracy in formulating energy transition path, agenda, and policies: A case study of Taiwan's referendums in 2018 and 2021

This study explores whether energy policy-related referendum initiatives in Taiwan can serve as effective policy instruments for the public to participate democratically in the formulation of energy policy and transition. Taiwan's conventional energy policy-making process is top-down, determined by the government, politicians, and experts. This process was challenged by five bottom-up energy-related referendum initiatives in 2018 and 2021, demanding a reduction in coal-fired electricity generation, electricity generation from nuclear energy instead, and an end to the expansion of large-scale fossil fuel energy infrastructure. The preferences of the general public and government for the energy transition agenda were in conflict. The results show that referendum is an effective and socially integrated policy instrument for enhancing energy democracy and guiding governmental energy transition in Taiwan, particularly by resisting the government's dominant coal-based energy agenda and facilitating a restructuring of the energy sector against various social and contextual pressures on energy preferences and contested policy goals. This bottom-up, exogenous rather than endogenous, and forced rather than voluntary energy policy formulation model corresponds to the international discussion on how energy democracy can change traditional structural power relations between the government and citizens in energy policy formulation and transition.

Can Taiwan's “2025 Non-Nuclear Homeland” policy achieve the expected carbon emission reduction goals?

Taiwan's per capita carbon emissions ranks first in Asia. Whether Taiwan's current “2025 Non-Nuclear Homeland” energy transition policy can achieve the goal of greenhouse gas reduction is an issue that needs to be studied urgently. On the basis of studying the status quo of energy supply and demand and carbon emissions in Taiwan, this paper first uses an econometric model to predict Taiwan's energy demand from 2021 to 2030, and then uses a Markov chain model to predict its energy structure changes and CO2 emission trends under different scenarios, and evaluates the impact of its energy transition policies on carbon emission reduction goals. On this basis, by comparing the carbon trading markets on both sides of the Taiwan strait, the feasibility of and obstacles to the cross-strait cooperation in the carbon trading market are discussed in depth, and the opportunities for future cross-strait cooperation in the carbon trading market are proposed innovatively. The empirical results of this paper show that the carbon emissions in 2025 under the energy transition policy will be reduced by 59.8–61.1 million tons compared with those without planning constraints, but compared with the carbon reduction target (a reduction of 124.8–133 million tons), there is still a long way to go. The contribution potential of the annual carbon emission reduction target is only 45.9%–47.9%, and the contribution potential in 2030 is 57.2%–60.1%. The current “2025 Non-Nuclear Homeland” policy is not in line with Taiwan's current reality, and it is difficult to achieve the expected carbon reduction goal. In order to realize the energy transition in Taiwan in the future, it is necessary to make overall planning of energy policies, explore the cross-strait power cooperation model, and gradually try to build a cross-strait carbon trading market.

Effects of green bonds on Taiwan's bioenergy development

Green financing has been proposed to stimulate and promote environment-friendly products such as low-carbon building and renewable energy to mitigate climate change since 2013; however, Taiwan's energy security is fragile and vulnerable to fluctuations of fossil prices. This study investigates how the promotion of green bonds benefits Taiwan's bioenergy production and emission reduction, as well as the development efficiency under various green-bond rates and volumes. We propose a price-endogenous, mathematical programming framework that incorporates the entire agricultural sector to simulate net bioenergy production, emission reduction, and overall profitability in the face of alternative bioenergy technologies and market conditions. The results show that if biopower and biofuel are eligible for low-cost bond financing, bioenergy production would be more stable. An increase in the emission trade price is favored to biopower technology, but this advantage will be partly recovered by a low borrowing rate because biofuel production will also be at a low production cost. In the face of energy price changes, we estimate that with an increase in green volume of US$0.61 to US$1.02 billion, a meaningful transition to bioenergy technology could occur.

Overview of wind power development over the two past decades (2000-2019) and its role in the Taiwan's energy transition and sustainable development goals

<abstract> In response to the international agreement on the climate change and the energy supply diversification, the Taiwan government actively promoted the use of wind power since 2000. This paper highlighted the Taiwan's wind resources, and interactively analyzed the regulatory strategies for promoting wind power and trend analysis of wind power over the two past decades (2000–2019). In the first development stage, the electricity generation by onshore wind power rapidly grew from 1.38 gigawatt-hours (GW-h) in 2000 to 1,492.7 GW-h in 2011 because of the implementations of promotional measures and official subsidies. However, its growth rate became slow due to the restrictions on available land for the onshore wind power farms. With the promulgation of the Renewable Energy Development Act in 2009, the government not only declared preferable feed-in-tariff (FIT) rates, but also announced some incentive and promotional plans, focusing on offshore wind power farms from the early 2010s. Therefore, the electricity generation by offshore wind power significantly increased from 26.7 GW-h in 2018 to 175.4 GW-h in 2019. Using the data on the electricity generation by wind power in 2019 (i.e., 1,871.3 × 10⁶ kW-h) and the average default value (i.e., 0.539 kg CO₂/kW-h), the equivalent mitigation of CO₂ emission from the wind power systems in Taiwan was thus estimated to be about one million metric tons. Based on the progressive development of wind power and other renewable resources over the past two decades, one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) for nuclear-free homeland and 20% renewable electricity generation may be prospective in the energy transition by 2025. However, this goal has faced serious challenges because the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused the delays in the Taiwanese wind power industry. </abstract>

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

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.

COMPARING THE IMPACT OF WIND POWER AND SOLAR POWER INVESTMENT ON INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT: APPLICATION OF DYNAMIC ENERGY INDUSTRY-RELATED MODELS

Taiwan's energy transformation to change the power structure is a new energy policy for economic development, industrial upgrading and environmental preservation. This study investigates the possibility of evaluating the economic spillover effects and CO2 emissions to evaluate new energy policy objectives by investing in solar and wind power generation systems. The research results show that the short-term solar investment in economic effects is superior to wind power generation, and the economic spillover increases the scale of CO2 emissions. The main reason is that the high ratio of equipment for wind power generation comes from imports and reduces the spillover effect. Observing the economic spillover effects of individual industries, solar investment has the largest increase in “Sewage Treatment Sector and Resource Recovery” sectors, while wind investment has the largest increase in “Machinery-related industries”. The scale of CO2 emissions in individual industries, solar investment has increased the most emissions by “Chemical” sectors, and wind investment has increased by “Service industries”. However, from a long-term perspective, the industrial upgrading through economic restructuring and the low emission coefficient of wind power will greatly improve the economic spillover effect of wind investment and improve the environment.Keywords: solar power, wind power, economic spillover effects, CO2 emissions.JEL Classifications: Q43, Q56, C54, C67DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.8152

The key factors affecting the strategy planning of Taiwan's hydrogen economy

For decades, the hydrogen economy (HE) has been considered an option in Taiwan's national sustainable energy plan, but its development is currently in a dilemmatic situation. This problem is not only hindering the progress of Taiwan's sustainable energy policy but also preventing the energy companies from setting competitive business strategies. This study investigates the key factors affecting the strategy planning for Taiwan's HE development, through a proposed technology foresight based research framework that extends from the introduction of Trends, Uncertainty factors to that of sketching Strategies (named TUS). The TUS inducts literature and specialist's expertise to perform data divergence, information convergence, and factors analysis with the use of Delphi and Theoretical Triangulation. The study result concludes eight key trends, seven key uncertainty factors, and sets six strategies for Taiwan. Furthermore, the demonstrated TUS practice and research findings provide considerable reference beneficial to the extension of future studies associated with HE.

Analysis of strategic environmental assessment in Taiwan energy policy and potential for integration with life cycle assessment

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been implemented in many policies in the European Union since 2001. In Taiwan, SEA has been implemented for 28 cases since 2001, which includes various types of policies. National energy policy is the most challenging type. There are three most important steps in SEA process: alternative planning, scoping, and impact assessment. However, the current limitation of method application affects the effectiveness of SEA. In this case, life cycle assessment (LCA) is integrated with SEA for clarifying the role of LCA in whole SEA process. The method of combining LCA and SEA has been developed and is applied in a case of Taiwan's energy policy. Benefits from LCA in alternative planning, scoping, and impact assessment steps are explored. Finally, suggestions for enhancing LCA's application, for scoping operation, and for the improvement of SEA are proposed.

Study on cross-strait energy cooperation under the new circumstance

Abstract The paper systematically reviews the conditions of energy supply and demand in Taiwan and further investigates the energy issues it has been confronted with as well as its objective of energy policy adjustment. In view of the trend of supply-side reform in mainland China energy sector under the New Normal economy and the background of the “Belt and Road” initiative, the paper points out the significance and development prospects of cross-strait energy cooperation. Main contributions of this paper are: by forecasting the future trend of power demand growth in Taiwan, the power shortage in the future of Taiwan is analyzed. On this basis, the paper analyzes the existing contradictions between Taiwan's energy transition policy and its current problem of power shortage, and the feasibility as well as the significance of electricity transmission to Taiwan for the first time.

An evidential analysis of Altman Z-score for financial predictions: Case study on solar energy companies

Altman Z-score has been a well-accepted model of predicting survivals and failures of manufactures since 1968. However, short of an underpinning theory causes a wide gap between asking and responding sides, which still has no effective solution. This research proposes a rough set approach to inducing granular evidence and solving evidential coefficients of financial ratios for the distressed companies. Empirically, the proposed approach is applied to a financial database, Taiwan Economic Journal, to analyze the solar energy industry during 2009–2014. The result shows the inferential evidence successfully serves as a basis for financial analysis and discloses that the profit efficiency of the distressed companies in Taiwan's solar energy industry had been declining.

Analytical and experimental investigation of hydrodynamic performance and chamber optimization of oscillating water column system

Among the numerous types of renewable energy technologies, wave energy technologies have been considered by many experts as one of the most promising for Taiwan. However, the amount of energy presently provided by wave energy technologies constitutes a minor percentage of Taiwan's total energy production. This paper presents experimental results using a laboratory water chamber, wherein the fundamental parameters of an oscillating water column (OWC) system's geometrical design are individually investigated and optimized for maximum amplification factor of wave energy to mechanically useful energy. The effects of back plate angle, fence plate and open wide parameters of chamber in a view of wave energy catching capability are analyzed. Three experimental models are evaluated to include a discussion of the back plate, fence plate, and open wide. The OWC's operation qualitatively differs from that predicted by linear theory, identify to critical flow characteristic; front wall down-wash in the water column. The surveys were then expanded to offer general arrangement or a planning material for the geometry optimization of the chamber that could potentially achieve the largest amplification factor of an oscillating water column (OWC) system. The amplification factor of the change in back angle of the OWC is significant.

Financial assessment of government subsidy policy on photovoltaic systems for industrial users: A case study in Taiwan

Due to Taiwan's limited energy resources, the development of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Taiwan has become one of the most important solutions for meeting future energy supply needs and ensuring environmental protection. A huge amount of researches about renewable energy sources has emerged recently in response to these issues. However, the amount of researches considering the effects of various influential parameters on the efficiency and performance of PV systems remains small, and is still limited to some specific parts of PV systems. In particular, researches considering thoughtfully the influence of government subsidies on PV financial assessment are still in development. This paper proposes an approach to analyze the benefit of installing a PV system under the impact of government financial subsidies, focusing especially on feed-in-tariff (FIT) and tax abatement policies for industrial users in Taiwan. In addition, a method for selecting the most appropriate policies is proposed for the government through the analysis of both user demand and the government's PV installation capacity target.

Environmental Impact and Energy Production: Evaluation of Biochar Application on Taiwanese Set-Aside Land

Taiwan imports more than 99% of her energy and suffers from climate change effects such as rising ocean level. Therefore, energy insecurity and GHG emissions offset are two serious problems facing Taiwan. This paper examines the possibilities for domestic bioenergy production in Taiwan utilizing set-aside land. Three bioenergy alternatives are examined: Pyrolysis-based bioelectricity, conventional bioelectricity and ethanol. We examine the comparative economics and choices among these alternatives under current Taiwanese agricultural system policies and also under altered energy and greenhouse gas/carbon prices. Biochar, produced from pyrolysis, is also investigated for different uses: whether it is best used as an energy source and/or a soil amendment. The study employs modified Taiwanese Agricultural Sector Model (TASM) to simulate the effects of the alternatives in the face of energy and greenhouse gases prices. Results show that ethanol production is chosen under current conditions but that this is replaced by pyrolysis-based bioelectricity when the GHG price is high. The results also indicate that Taiwan's energy security can be enhanced by domestic bioenergy production and up to1.59% of total GHG emissions can be offset.

Bioenergy prospects in Taiwan using set-aside land – an economic evaluation

Purpose – This study aims to explore Taiwan's potential for bioenergy production using feedstocks grown on set-aside land and discusses the consequent effects on Taiwan's energy security plus benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Design/methodology/approach – The Modified Taiwan Agricultural Sector Model (Modified TASM), based on price endogenous mathematical programming, was used to simulate different agricultural policies related to bioenergy production. To do this simulation, the TASM model was extended to include additional bioenergy production possibilities and GHG accounting. Findings – Taiwan's bioenergy production portfolio depends on prices of ethanol, electricity and GHG. When GHG prices go up, ethanol production decreases and electricity production increases because of the relatively stronger GHG offset power of biopower. Originality/value – Taiwan is interested in producing bioenergy but only limited information is available. This study provides the information on potential bioethanol and bioelectricity production from various energy crops, GHG emission offset from bioenergy, and regional energy security.

Prospects of Renewable Energy Development in Taiwan

Highly dependent (about 99%) on imported energy Taiwan, a country in the subtropics, has limited natural resources. In this regard, renewable energy sources like biomass, wind, and solar are becoming attractive. On June 12, 2009 the Renewable Energy Development Act, which was aimed at promoting the use of renewable energy, boosting energy diversification, and helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was passed by the Legislative Yuan of Taiwan government. The objectives of this article are to make a comprehensive analysis of current production, national goals, and governmental policies for renewable energy in Taiwan. Further, mini-reviews on the bill are also presented. As a newly-developed country, Taiwan's energy policy and regulatory system concerning renewable energy development have been established successfully, and will provide a feasible solution to those countries that are developing their clean energy from renewable sources.

Research on the Green Building Revolution - Solar Energy Research and Development in Taiwan

Taiwan is located in the West Pacific Earthquake Zone. Fulda Nuclear power plant disaster caused by March 11, 2011 earthquake not only impact Japan, all countries around this area have been forced to face the radiation threaten. This event strengthens advanced organizations to search the green energy. Solar energy and wind power that utilizes the nature to generate electricity energy are widely accepted around the world. In April, 2011, Germany has passed the waste nuclear provision. The BIPV (the Building Integrated Photo Voltaic) has not only the economic benefits of energy generation also reduce the carbon emissions and building initial cost. The Renewable Energy Sources Regulations has been established in June 12, 2010 in Taiwan that proclaimed the green energy generation has been started. The development of Photovoltaic was discussed in this study. The Government's efforts to construct the wind power energy were analyzed to explore the research potential of green energy development in Taiwan. The development goals and vision were explored for Taiwan's energy resource in this article. The power conversion efficiency of commonly used solar cells was investigated. Through the investment in key bottleneck and innovative technologies, the government provides incentives to increase domestic demand and consumption. Focusing on the international market to enhance the scale can construct a perfect green value chain in Taiwan.

Assessment of the feed-in tariff mechanism for renewable energies in Taiwan

Due to Taiwan's lack of natural resources, dependence on imported energy, and pursuit of sustainable development, renewable energies are extremely important for Taiwan's future energy supply. Since Taiwan's feed-in tariff (FIT) is still in its initial stage, one must examine whether the current system is compatible with a well-designed FIT scheme. This study examines the main features of Taiwan's FIT system and assesses design options using several criteria. Additionally, one of the most important elements of a FIT scheme, namely, a tariff system, is discussed. Taiwan's FIT scheme has the design options required by well-functioning FITs, and the guaranteed-return tariff system coincides with the spirit underlying leading global FITs; however, many issues, such as setting goals by stages, refinement of the tariff calculation methodology, and elimination of other non-economic barriers, must be addressed to achieve future developmental goals and green industry growth.

Exploration of sustainable development by applying green economy indicators

Following the global trend of sustainable development, development of green economy is the best way of slowing the negative ecological and environmental impact. This research establishes the Taiwan's green economic indicators based on the ecological footprint and energy analysis. The results are as follows: Taiwan's ecological footprint in 2008 intensity index was at 4.364; ecological overshoot index was at 3.364, showing that Taiwan's ecological system is in overload state. Moreover, this study utilizes energy analysis model to study the sustainable development of Taiwan. Findings showed that total energy use in 2008 was 3.14 × 10(23)sej (solar energy joule, sej), energy of renewable resources was 1.30 × 10(22)sej, energy of nonrenewable resources was 2.26 × 10(23)sej, energy of products from renewable resources was 1.30 × 10(22)sej, energy of currency flow was 8.02 × 10(22)sej and energy of wastes flow was 6.55 × 10(22)sej. Taiwan's energy per capita and the utilization rate of energy is lower while the environmental loading rate is significantly higher comparing to some other countries. The foregoing findings indicate that Taiwan currently belongs to an economic development pattern based on high resource consumption. The economic development is mainly established on the exploitation and utilization of nonrenewable resources. Therefore, Taiwan should change the development pattern, regulate the industrial structure, promote the utilization rate of resources, develop green pollution-free products, and enhance the sustainable development of ecological economic system.

Energy taxation and the double dividend effect in Taiwan's energy conservation policy—an empirical study using a computable general equilibrium model

Faced with pressure from greenhouse gas reductions and energy price hikes, the Taiwan government is in the process of developing an energy tax regime to reflect environmental external costs and effectively curb energy consumption, as well as mitigate CO 2 emissions through an adequate pricing system. This study utilizes a CGE model to simulate and analyze the economic impacts of the draft Energy Tax Bill and its complementary fiscal measures. Under the assumption of tax revenue neutrality, the use of energy tax revenue generated for the purpose of reducing income tax is the best choice with double dividend effects since it will effectively stimulate domestic consumption and investment, and, consequently, mitigate the negative impacts of the distortionary tax regime. The double dividend effect is less significant, however, when the supplementary measures being used are for government expenditure. Nevertheless, all supplementary measures have effectively reduced energy consumption, which means they have delivered at least the first dividend—in the sense of CO 2 emissions control. It has been verified in this study that having adequate public-finance policy measures is the key to realizing the double dividend effect.