With an eye toward energy security, the green economy and environmental sustainability, on October 27, 2016 the Executive Yuan approved a plan to promote green energy technology and industrial innovation as part of the government's "five plus two" innovative industries plan, which calls for 20 percent of Taiwan's energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. Of that 20 percent, nearly two-thirds (66.3 percent) will be solar power. The plan lays a clear path toward achieving this goal: 6.5 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity by 2020 and by 2025 the full 20 GW.
Development strategies
◆ Short term: With the completion of the Two-year Solar PV Promotion Plan—including the construction of demonstration projects, tailoring of rules and regulations, and the simplification of operating procedures—Taiwan installed 1.7 GW of solar power capacity between July 2016 and December 2018, setting a solid foundation on which the industry can continue to grow. To reach the 2020 cumulative capacity objective of 6.5 GW, the government will focus on three main strategies: increasing the installation of rooftop panels at industrial parks, promotion at both the central and local levels, and working solar power generation into the operations of farms, ranches and aquaculture facilities.
◆ Medium term: Building on the experience and success of short-term results, a raft of measures will be adopted to improve the environment for solar power and gradually achieve Taiwan's 2025 capacity goal of 20 GW. These measures include taking a dedicated approach to promoting ground-based systems, encouraging industrial parks to increase installation of solar power, refining laws and regulations governing solar power development, and planning out necessary enhancements to distribution and transmission infrastructure for solar energy hotspots. Administrative initiatives such as single-window service for solar projects and integrated cooperation across multiple ministries and agencies will also help.
◆ Complementary measures: Measures designed to speed the development and build-out of solar power include expanded inventorying of suitable sites, and developing and promoting the PV-ESCO operational model, where energy services companies build and maintain photovoltaic panel systems on rooftop space leased from building owners. Encouraging banks to offer financing for the installation of solar power, promoting multiple sources of financing, and training personnel in the field of solar power financing are also options.