Wind power replaces coal
January 29, 2013
Project goal: Boosting wind power capacity by 2030 from 530 megawatts to 4.2 gigawatts. That would allow Taiwan to meet eight percent of its energy needs with wind energy up from a current one percent.
Project size: 1,000 turbines of which 600 will be offshore plants. A total of around 41,000 jobs to be created
Project costs: 14.1 billion Euros
CO2 savings: 8.4 million tons each year
Taiwan still largely meets its growing energy needs with crude oil and coal. In a bid to cut carbon emissions, the government is now planning to expand installed wind power capacity. The island's west coast offers the perfect conditions. By 2025, 1,000 wind parks are meant to be operational both on land as well as out at sea. That would allow Taiwan to meet eight percent of its energy needs with wind power. A few private initiatives are also working towards preserving the island's lush environment. An industrialist has planted a forest with rare tree species near Dongshi in a bid to raise climate change awareness among visitors.
A film by Christian Uhlig