Taiwan’s first landfill-based solar power plant was inaugurated Feb. 17 in southern Taipei City’s Wenshan District, a milestone public-private sector development set to help slash greenhouse gasses and spur the development of renewable energy nationwide.
Situated on a three-hectare site occupied by Fude Landfill until 1994 and turned into an environmental park after 2003, Taipei Energy Hill boasts 8,000 photovoltaic panels and is one of the largest solar power facilities in the country. Construction, which began in September last year, was funded by Taipei-based electronics firm Tatung Co.
The facility is expected to generate 2 million kilowatt-hours of electrical energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 tonnes a year. All production will be sold to state-run utility Taiwan Power Co., with Taipei City Government receiving 10 percent of total sales—estimated at around NT$1 million (US$32,453) per annum.
Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je said at the launch ceremony that cleaner, greener and safer power models like Taipei Energy Hill must be rolled out as Taiwan strives for its nuclear-free homeland goal, adding that the 153,000 kWh of electrical energy produced since the facility commenced test operations Jan.10 augurs well for the future.
According to Ko, the city government plans to build Taipei Energy Hill and Fude Park into a tourist destination through the addition of facilities for entertainment, environmental education, leisure and recreation. In addition, the feasibility of initiating a similar development at another former landfill in eastern district of Nangang is being studied, he said.
Other city programs underway involve Tatung installing photovoltaic panels on the rooftops of government buildings, a move expected to bring annual production—including that of Taipei Energy Hill—to 8 million kWh per year, Ko added.
The local government is a leader in Taiwan when it comes to promoting the use of rooftop and ground-mounted solar arrays. Its efforts are in line with the central government’s plan to increase renewable energy’s share of the national power production total from the current 4 percent to 20 percent by 2025 while phasing out nuclear energy. (KTJ-E)
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