Solar farm flies flag for Taiwan photovoltaic industry

2016/05/13

Taiwan’s first floating solar power system in Pingtung County serves as model for renewable energy technology producers worldwide and reflects the strong development of the local photovoltaic industry, according to American Institute in Taiwan Economic Section Chief Joshua M. Cartin May 10.

“The system’s efficiency in electricity generation and water conservation is impressive,” Cartin said during a one-day trip to the facility in southern Taiwan. “I’m interested in bringing this concept to the U.S. as we have a large number of dams where it could be used.”

Constructed on a retention pond by Taipei City-headquartered LCY Group and locally based Sun Rise E&T Corp., the system’s floating 400 solar modules can generate 102 kilowatts of electricity per day. This is set to increase to 499 kilowatts once full operations commence by year-end, providing energy for more than 440 households.

Lu Tai-ying, director-general of Pingtung County Government’s Environmental Protection Bureau, said the system has reduced water evaporation at the reservoir by 15 percent. “The technology has wide-ranging applications and will be rolled out in other parts of southern Taiwan in the near future.”

Echoing Lu’s remarks, Bowie Lee, chairman and chief executive officer of LCY, said floating solar plants represent the future of Taiwan’s photovoltaic industry as it is becoming harder to find available land. “Such facilities are also 11 percent more efficient than land-based units, and can further reduce water eutrophication.

“We are now considering Mudan Dam in Pingtung and Zengweng Reservoir between Tainan City and Chiayi County in southern Taiwan as potential sites once the government completes necessary regulatory changes.”

Taiwan has achieved significant improvement in its solar energy development over the past years. The largest solar power system in Taiwan was constructed by Hsinchu City-based AU Optronics Corp. on the roof of its fab at Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung City. The system can generate 76,520 kilowatt hours of electricity per day, providing energy to 7,652 households.

According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the production value of Taiwan’s photovoltaic industry was NT$200 billion (US$61.4 billion) in 2015, up 25 percent from the year before. It is expected to reach between NT$230 billion and NT$240 billion by 2016. The MOEA also aims to increase solar power installed capacity from 832 megawatts in 2015 to 20 gigawatts by 2025, or around 20 percent of Taiwan’s total energy output.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=244595&ctNode=2194&mp=9)