Despite the government’s vigorous propulsion in the development of solar energy, the major ground solar that occupies 14GW of the target regarding photovoltaic development obstructs the ecological environment and farmland, which impedes the relevant installation. Hence, the government and the local sector have been actively promoting for the symbiotic application of fishery electricity through fishery and green power generation, in the hope of achieving a win-win outcome for photovoltaic and the environment.
According to the review process for symbiosis of fishery electricity stipulated by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, the installation of solar panels must maintain the initial production volume of 70%. The inventory on national livestock farms implemented by the Council of Agriculture indicates that roughly 2GW of a symbiosis of livestock electricity can be added, and that there are 7,985 hectares of fish farms with no ecological disputes, which can first be used for the development of symbiosis of fishery electricity. The Ministry of Economic Affairs will then inspect on several issues, including ecology, literature and history, and community, before moving onto the elimination of sensitive areas, and eventually selecting an advance zone that will be prioritized for the establishment of photovoltaic.
The three central departments have joined hands in listing out the usable land for symbiosis of fishery electricity, and have planned for a total of 4,800 hectares of advanced zones from 6 cities and counties. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Council of Agriculture announced on the 16th that the scope for the first phase will be combined with fishery and green energy, where Chiayi and Tainan will become the first two areas for implementation. A total area of 2,626.29 hectares has been planned, among which Chiayi accounts for 876.16 hectares, including Dongshi Township, Budai Township, and Yizhu Township, whereas Tainan occupies 1,750.13 hectares, including Yanshuei District, Syuejia District, Xiaying District, Madou District, Anding District, Sinshih District, and Annan District.
The Tainan City Government and Chiayi County Government will begin accepting applications for usage approval, project preparation, and establishment license after one month of the announcement. The second phase in Kaohsiung and Pingtung, as well as the third phase in Changhua and Yunlin, have also been planned for successive announcements before the end of the year. As pointed out by the media coverage, there are 662 hectares and 667 hectares of usable firms in Kaohsiung and Pingtung respectively, occupying 15% and 14%, after the avoidance of ecological doubts, as well as legal avoidance and buffer zones.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Council of Agriculture, and the Ministry of the Interior hosted the “Policy Implementation Orientation for Symbiosis of Fishery Electricity” in Kaoshiung alongside the Kaohsiung City Government and the Pingtung County Government on the 17th, which provided an explanation on policy implementation, as well as listened and clarified on the doubts and concerns of the fishermen. The orientation pointed out that the planning for the advance zone of the symbiosis of fishery electricity will take into account the idea of cultivation, ecology, and photovoltaic, in order to manifest the principal of “value enhancement in green energy on top of agriculture”.
(Cover photo source: Flickr/Michael Mees CC BY 2.0)