Taiwan’s first battery charging stations powered by green energy and run by state-owned petrochemical company CPC Corp. are set to commence operations in the southern cities of Chiayi and Tainan, underscoring the government’s commitment to promoting a low-carbon economy.
According to CPC, energy used for the electric scooter battery charging facility in Chiayi, which is set to open Jan. 23, will come from solar power generated by the company. Launching Feb. 14, the Tainan facility will use fuel cells as well as solar, while the station will purchase green energy from government-owned utility Taiwan Power Co. in times of shortfall.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che said advancing electric vehicle battery technologies is key to Taiwan’s renewable energy development and that the local government is dedicated to supporting the growth of the entire sector.
CPC Corp. Chairman Tai Chein said the company is committed to helping R&D efforts aimed at lowering costs and improving performance. The new clean energy battery charging stations are in line with the government’s goal to phase out sales of nonelectric motorcycles and fossil fuel-powered cars by 2035 and 2040, respectively, he added.
Under a Ministry of Economic Affairs initiative launched last year, CPC is also working to set up 1,000 battery charging and swapping facilities in the company’s gas stations, Tai said. The MOEA plan aims to establish more than 3,300 such installations for electric scooters across Taiwan by 2022.
Green energy is a key component in the government’s five-plus-two innovative industries initiative, an economic revitalization program that also targets the high-growth sectors of biotech and pharmaceuticals, national defense, smart machinery and Internet of Things, as well as the promotion of two concepts: the circular economy and a new program for agricultural development. (CPY-E)
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