Taiwan and Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding on exchange and collaboration in the area of smart grid technology, according to the Bureau of Energy under the ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs September 5.
The agreement will lead to more bilateral cooperation in green energy industries and technologies, the BOE said.
The memorandum was inked at the 18th Joint Energy and Minerals, Trade and Investment Cooperation Consultations, held in Kaohsiung City September 4-5. The consultations have been conducted alternately in each country since 1992 as a channel to boost bilateral commercial ties.
Under the pact, Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute will partner with Australia’s Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources to explore smart grid technologies and applications to improve the efficiency of the electricity sectors in both countries, according to the BOE.
Other bilateral cooperation plans signed during the meetings cover a range of areas, including the development of renewable energy, zero-energy buildings, carbon capture and storage technology, as well as information sharing regarding minerals investment opportunities, the bureau said. The Australian government hopes Taiwan will expand its involvement in coal and gas mining Down Under, it added.
All the agreements come under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia on Cooperation within the Fields of Energy and Minerals, which was signed in 2010.
