Jump to main content
EPA chief reaffirms Taiwan’s renewables commitment in interview with Deutsche Welle
2017-11-17

1

EPA Minister Lee Ying-yuan addresses Taiwan’s commitment to renewable energy during a Nov. 13 interview with Germany-based international news network Deutsche Welle. (Courtesy of EPA)
 

Taiwan is committed to complying with the goals of the Paris Agreement under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change through reducing fossil fuel use and fostering renewable energy generation, Environmental Protection Administration Minister Lee Ying-yuan said Nov. 13 in a TV interview with Germany’s Deutsche Welle.
 
Though the country is not a signatory to the accord, Taiwan is playing its part in global efforts to tackle climate change by transforming the nation’s power generation structure within the next decade, Lee said.
 
According to the minister, the government aims to reduce the proportion of energy produced using coal from 45.5 percent to 30 percent by 2025. Power from renewables and natural gas will be increased from about 5 percent to 20 percent, and around 20 percent to 50 percent, respectively, in the same period.
 
Lee said these restructuring efforts are expected to lower the nation’s carbon emissions from energy generation by some 40 percent while eliminating nuclear power. The government is also working to reduce greenhouse gases from the industrial sector through the introduction of a cap-and-trade system by 2020, he added.
 
In preparation for establishment of this system, the government has begun issuing certificates to companies that have installed renewable power generation technologies. Participating firms are awarded one certificate for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours of green energy produced, with a total 2,544 issued as of June, according to the National Renewable Energy Certification Center under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
 
Lee said new carbon reduction measures will be introduced in consultation with industries so as to support economic growth and sustainable development. The government will also tailor renewable energy programs to local needs and strengths, he said, citing related measures in central Taiwan to harness abundant wind power resources.
 
Regional specialization of renewable projects will upgrade power transmission, the minister said, adding that Taiwan also plans to boost energy efficiency on the demand side through the introduction of smart grid technology.
 
The approximately five-minute interview was broadcast in English on DW, a Bonn-based international news network. It followed a brief report on the structure of Taiwan’s energy sector, the challenges the nation faces due to climate change and its efforts to embrace renewables. (CPY-E)