“We’re devoted to the exploration of green power resources such as geothermal, solar and wind,” said Taipower President Chung Bin-li during the MOU signing ceremony at Taiwan Water’s headquarters in central Taiwan’s Taichung City. Considering the increasing difficulty of land acquisition, properties controlled by Taiwan Water are ideal places for such an endeavor, he added.
The two firms plan to install rooftop and ground-mounted solar arrays at water supply plants around Taiwan, and feasibility studies are being carried out on the possibility of utilizing floating solar panels on reservoirs and weirs administered by Taiwan Water.
According to Taipower, the cooling effect of the water beneath floating solar cells makes them more efficient than those on land. Also, with the shade provided by solar panels, water evaporation and algae growth in reservoirs can be reduced so as to improve water quality.
At the signing ceremony, Taiwan Water President Hu Nan-tzer vowed to assist Taipower’s solar energy programs on land and in water. “By combining the two companies’ resources and technical expertise, we can play our part in promoting green energy,” he said.
Taipower and Taiwan Water’s joint efforts are in line with the government’s plan to foster renewables as it phases out the use of nuclear power. The nation is seeking to increase the ratio of electricity generated via such sources as biomass, geothermal, solar and wind from the current 4 percent to 20 percent by 2025. (KTJ-E)
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