Taipower opens 23 new wind turbines

This article was written by Annie Huang and published by the Taiwan Journal on April 27, 2007. It reports that to date, more than 100 wind turbines have been set up across Taiwan. This represents a milestone in Taiwan's development of renewable energy and helps reduce the nation's carbon dioxide emission by 250,000 metric tons annually.

The state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) recently began operations of 23 wind turbines erected at the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park. The total number of such units across Taiwan now reaches 103, and they generate sufficient electricity to meet the energy needs of 105,000 households. According to the Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, each kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by wind turbines produce 0.6 kilograms less carbon dioxide than traditional means of generating power.

According to the Bureau of Energy, these new wind turbines in central Taiwan will create 136 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 69,000 metric tons per year. This is very important to Taiwan, since 98 percent of the nation's energy consumption is dependent on imports.

Following this latest erection of wind turbines, Taipower and four private companies will set up wind power plants in Changhua and other coastal areas in western Taiwan. An additional 264 wind energy generators will joint current operations. They will also be integrated into local landscapes and create surplus value by boosting local tourism.

According to the Bureau of Energy, harnessing wind energy can further benefit the machinery sector. The bureau's study shows that domestic manufacturers of steel, fiberglass and precision machinery are competitive in the global wind power generator industry, which is worth up to US$12 billion per year. So far, 10 Taiwan-based companies have begun production of parts for wind generators. These include the Formosa Heavy Industries Group and Kaohsiung-based China Steel Machinery Corp.

According to the Bureau of Energy, by 2010, renewable energy -- including wind, solar and oceanic energies -- is expected to contribute 4,120 megawatts of electricity per year. This represents about 8 percent of Taiwan's total production and is not far short of the government's goal of 10 percent.

In addition to constructing wind turbines on land, companies in Taiwan will also be encouraged to construct units off shore. This will be more expensive, but it will avoid using Taiwan's limited land resources. Currently, Taipower is reviewing the possibility of setting up wind generators on the sea. It will submit applications after relevant regulations are promulgated.