Taiwan's current focus on renewable energy lies in the development of solar photovoltaic and offshore wind power. The National Development Council (NDC) has outlined 12 key strategies, highlighting the importance of forward-looking energy sources such as base-load geothermal, ocean energy, and biomass energy in the overall renewable energy sector.
In the realm of geothermal power generation, the country has set ambitious targets for cumulative installed capacity: 20MW by 2025, 56 to 192MW by 2030, and an impressive 3 to 6.2GW by 2050.
Chun-Li Lee, the Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Energy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs(MOEA), has emphasized a policy direction that combines the rule of law and technology. The concrete strategies under this approach include optimizing the legal framework for geothermal development, revising the Renewable Energy Development Act, and defining application and review procedures for geothermal exploration, development, and operation. Nevertheless, geothermal power generation heavily relies on exploration technology. Currently, the primary player in geothermal exploration technology in Taiwan is the state-owned company, Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC). CPC collaborates with both domestic and foreign research institutions and companies to carry out geothermal exploration in various locations, including Yilan and Taitung.
Regarding ocean energy, the cumulative installed capacity target for ocean energy power generation is 0.1 to 1MW by 2030 and 1.3 to 7.5GW by 2050. In the ocean energy planning, besides encouraging industry participation through policy incentives, the focus will also be on identifying advantageous potential sites. The selection process will prioritize areas from shallow to deep and from near to far, while also developing key technologies for rapid maintenance in the sea area. The verification of typhoon and earthquake resistance capabilities aims to achieve long-term power generation.
The eastern waters of Taiwan possess the potential for ocean energy development. Currently, Taiwan Cement Corporation has declared its intention to develop ocean thermal energy conversion near the Hualien power plant, collaborating with energy engineering company Asia Clean Capital (ACC) to build deep-sea temperature difference power generation units. Moreover, in early 2023, FLH Energy Technology launched Taiwan's first independently developed and commercially transferable wave energy conversion device, garnering attention from the market.
In the field of biomass energy, the government has set a cumulative installed capacity target for biomass power generation, aiming for 805 to 1,329MW by 2030, and a further increase to 1.4 to 1.8GW by 2050. To boost the biomass energy market, the government plans to employ feed-in tariff(FIT) mechanisms and demonstration incentives. It intends to introduce biomass energy brick burning system technology and expertise while establishing a resource supply mechanism and promoting large-scale brick burning systems. Additionally, efforts will be made to harness domestic resources and diversify fuel conversion technologies, while also advocating for the reuse of by-products generated from biomass combustion.
Currently, in the biomass energy market, Taiwan Power Company and Taiwan Sugar Corporation are actively promoting biomass power generation through biogas power generation systems and coal-fired power generation units, respectively. Recently, J & V Energy Technology announced its plan to construct the first agricultural residue-based biomass fuel power plant in Pingtung, southern Taiwan by the end of 2023. The project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024 and officially commence operations in the fourth quarter.
