In order to attain the 2050 net zero emission target and respond to the global tendency of green electricity, the MOEA and Taiwan Sugar are co-planning to release land to develop solar power, and retain 30% of green electricity for procurement by SMEs in order to fulfill their demand for green electricity.
Climate change is now a global issue, and the promotion of carbon reduction and emission has become a necessary condition for industries in adhering to international standards. Various major businesses have been successively increasing their utilization of green electricity in recent years, while the same tendency is also starting to be seen among SMEs. In order to fulfill the demand for green electricity among domestic SMEs, Taiwan Sugar announced that it will release 549.67 hectares of land to develop roughly 300MW of solar power at an annual generation of 375 million kWh. Grid connection is scheduled to complete by the end of 2023.
Taiwan Sugar emphasizes that the land planned for release have been professionally evaluated by the Council of Agriculture and the Ministry of the Interior, and have been ruled out as regions of ecological values and environmentally sensitive. On-site investigation indicates that the implicated areas are prone to gravel exposure, loss of topsoil, and low-lying flooding, where the forest volume per hectare is below 25 m3, which is not suitable for forest growth and agricultural businesses.
Considering how it is relatively difficult for SMEs in acquiring green electricity due to their industry structure, this particular project would retain 30% of generated green electricity, and gradually release roughly 100 million kWh each year according to the demand, with exclusive procurement rights given to SMEs. Green electricity tenders will subsequently conducted according to the “Operation Procedures for Green Electricity and License Matchmaking Services for Solar Plants on Leased Land by Public or State-Owned Businesses” of the Bureau of Standards.
Taiwan Sugar commented that the company will actively develop renewable, assist SMEs in acquiring green electricity, and attain the national vision of net zero emission, under the premise of taking environmental sustainability into account.
(Cover photo source: Taiwan Sugar)