President Ma Ying-jeou said Aug. 13 that Taiwan is committed to pursuing a diverse and safe energy mix incorporating all viable options en route to securing the nation’s sustainable development.
“Combating climate change and reducing greenhouse emissions are pressing concerns of the global community,” Ma said. “As such, a wide range of carbon reduction initiatives have been proposed, including carbon capture and storage, nuclear power and renewable energy.”
The president made the remarks at an energy summit in Taipei City during which he reaffirmed the government’s policy of no nuclear safety, no nuclear power, and pledged to continue working to ensure Taiwan’s energy needs are met in a farsighted and responsible manner.
According to Ma, Taiwan should strive to promote optimal energy mix and maintain a practical stance toward the development of nuclear power. He said this approach is in line with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s view of further increasing the use of nuclear energy as a mature technology option to replace baseload fossil fuel electricity generation and effectively achieve decarbonization.
“Safeguarding nuclear power, gradually reducing the use of this form of energy, building a green and low-carbon environment and establishing a nuclear-free homeland are the guiding principles of the government’s policy,” Ma said.
“At the same time, these goals must be achieved without electricity rationing, unreasonable price rises and missing reduction targets on carbon dioxide emissions.”
The president said given its independent power grids, Taiwan cannot purchase electricity from other countries and territories. Instead, it imports 98 percent of its energy-producing resources, with nuclear power accounting for over 18.8 percent of total electricity generation.
“This puts Taiwan in a very similar situation with Japan, which is also prone to natural disasters like typhoon and earthquakes,” Ma said. “The Japanese government’s recent decision to reinstate its nuclear power plants three years after the Fukushima incident serves as an important reference to Taiwan in addressing related issues.”
Concerning the development of renewable energy, the president said the Ministry of Economic Affairs has established an implementation mechanism to promote optimal energy mix based on the Renewable Energy Development Act of 2009.
“By encouraging private sector investment and increasing the use of solar panels and wind turbines, the government expects to boost renewable energy generating capacity from 10.9 to 13.8 gigawatts in 2030,” Ma said. “This will safeguard Taiwan’s energy security and ensure the health of the economy and livelihood of the people.”
At the same time, the nation is well on its way to achieving the target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the 2000 level by 2025, the president said, a goal announced as part of the government’s sustainable energy policy guidelines after he took office in May 2008.
“Although Taiwan is not party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, its national standards will continue to comply with those set by the UN.”
The government’s previous push for nuclear power was based on low carbon and low cost, Ma said. Building upon this commitment to diversifying and developing clean energy sources, the government is to hold a national energy conference by the end of the year, he added.
“It is expected that by pooling ideas from all segments of society, Taiwan will find a safe and viable energy mix to help maintain a healthy environment, meet industrial needs and sustain economic growth,” Ma said.
