The Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs said on January 9 that it will expand its promotion of the energy technology services industry this year through an energy saving guarantee model and PV-ESCO (photovoltaic-energy service company) plan.
With the help of the two initiatives, the sector’s total production value is expected to reach NT$23.4 billion (US$778.83 million) this year, according to the BOE.
The bureau said advance energy consumption diagnosis and assessment will be carried out on 160 administrative agencies, hospitals, universities and colleges, exhibition sites, and vocational high schools, with the 100 that have the most potential to be selected for inclusion in the energy saving guarantee program.
In addition, to reduce the financial burden for ordinary citizens operating solar power installments and increase overall PV installed capacity, energy technology service companies or those employing the PV-ESCO model will rent space on rooftops, install solar energy systems, apply for financing and be responsible for operation and maintenance, the bureau said.
The BOE stressed that citizens will not be responsible for installation costs and will receive rental income. In addition, when the rental period ends, ownership rights will revert to the citizens, at which time they will be able to obtain income from the sale of the generated electricity.
Through these plans, the BOE expects to see production from the energy technology services industry rise 9.4 percent annually over the next three years to reach NT$30.3 billion by the year 2015.
