TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As electoral campaigns gear up, presidential candidates from various political parties in Taiwan have recently unveiled energy policies that affirm the role of renewable energy and low-carbon gas as bridging fuels.
To this, Taipower has announced accelerated efforts in recent years to promote the construction of gas turbine units in the northern, central, and southern regions of Taiwan.
Hsieh-Ho Power Plant, currently supplying critical electricity to the northern region, is undergoing an environmental impact assessment.
According to the report, the shift from oil to gas can reduce air pollution by 96% and greenhouse gas emissions by 52%.
In recent years, the government, private sector, and Taipower have dedicated efforts to build renewable power facilities, resulting in a substantial increase in the capacity of renewable energy devices.
According to the Energy Administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as of the end of September this year, the cumulative capacity of photovoltaic installations exceeded 11.55 million kilowatts, and wind power reached 2,583,000 kilowatts.
Taipower emphasized that by prioritizing green energy and using gas, reducing the use of old sub-critical coal-fired units has cut the overall air pollution emissions of all thermal power plants.
The emissions have dropped from about 107,000 metric tons in 2016 to approximately 42,000 metric tons in 2022, a reduction rate of up to 60%.