Taiwanese manufacturers must increase their use of renewable energy for the country to protect its position as a leading export economy, according to one of the region’s major offshore wind developers.
Synera Renewable Energy chairman Lucas Lin (second left) told a press conference in Taipei today that using clean power must become a “core competence” for key industrial players on the island, which is a global hub for producing servers, semi-conductors and other high-tech equipment.
The press conference was held ahead of Energy Taiwan and Net-Zero Taiwan, an international exhibition that is due to be held this week between 29 and 31 October.
Lin told journalists that without further action Taiwan’s power-hungry industries risked encountering “problems” supplying major multinational companies including Apple and Microsoft that are bound by initiatives like RE100, which commits signatories to using 100% renewable energy in their operations.
Some outfits exporting to the European Union could also face further regulatory barriers if their emissions trigger tariffs applied under the bloc’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, set to be introduced next year.
“I’m not talking about targets in 10- or 20-years’ time… I’m talking about our export industry and how it can become a core competence,” said Lin.
“If we don’t have green or renewable energy it is going to cause problems.
“(Decarbonisation) is not just a moral choice but about how industries in Taiwan can compete on the global stage.”
Lin added the clean power switch would be best underpinned by the “consistent, stable pricing and low emissions” offered to potential offtakers by Taiwan’s growing offshore wind sector.
The country has a total installed capacity of 4GW and a target to deploy 10.9GW by 2030.
Representatives from industry said they also recognised the scale of the challenge.
Global chief marketing officer and president of semiconductors representative group SEMI Taiwan Terry Tsao (middle left) agreed there was “growing pressure for a lot of players in Taiwan to make adjustments to what they do”.
“The semi-conductor industry plays a very big part when it comes to reducing carbon emissions,” he said.
“It is very important for them to follow this global trend.”
Jason Dend, the executive director of the exhibition department for show organiser TAITRA (middle right), said the event would help showcase the opportunities for manufacturers to boost supplies of homegrown clean energy.
“We want to make our shows facilitators to help them achieve this goal,” he added.
“It is not just an exhibition. They are crucial platforms for Taiwan to move towards the net zero transformation and an opportunity for the world to see what innovations Taiwan has to offer.”