Greater interest in renewables enables energy storage growth in Taiwan
May 27, 2015
The recent momentum behind energy storage in Taiwan is largely due to the adoption of renewable energy strategies. After all, interest in nuclear has dwindled. Taiwan lacks significant energy resources and is dependent on importing energy. So Taiwan is investing in renewable resources which as Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou pointed out requires energy storage. "Even if one has a vast amount of renewable energy (generation), one needs to be able to store it," said Ma.
Solar energy sees greater penetration
There's no question that Taiwan is enjoying a solar boom. In fact, the outlook for Taiwan's long-term investments in solar technology is quite optimistic, just trailing leading nations China and the U.S., according to Seeking Alpha. One factor that has had a large influence on this trend is Taiwan's existing semiconductor production infrastructure, according to The Energy Collective. The same technology that manufacturers had used to produce and work with silicon materials provided the country with a big head start in terms of developing solar PV, and subsequently the rise of solar in Taiwan resulted in greater interest in energy storage.
A nation in need of nuclear alternatives
Another reason that energy storage is having continued success in Taiwan is the nation's desire to develop reliable resources beyond nuclear power plants. To this end, former Vice President Vincent Siew signed a letter with the aim of leading a discussion about energy storage, smart grid technology, disaster prevention and cloud technology, according to The China Post. Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou pointed out that energy storage would allow the country to take better advantage of wind and solar power. Energy storage technology is necessary to ensure that such renewable resources are capable of delivering the consistent results that the residents of Taiwan need.
According to The Washington Post, Taiwan is well-suited for renewable technology. The article pointed out that solar, wave and tidal power could provide more energy to meet the the region's electricity demands. Likewise, the nation's government has already announced plans for adding hundreds of wind-powered turbines to the nation's infrastructure by 2030. While renewable technology is vital to the future of Taiwan, the nation risks rampant intermittency woes without an energy storage solution to help manage the collection and distribution of energy from renewable sources.
Thermal energy storage already in play
It is clear that energy storage is also well-suited for Taiwan in part because there have already been several successful projects rolled out on the island nation. Thermal energy storage, for instance, has proven to be especially effective at helping commercial and government facilities in the nation to use electricity more cost-effectively.
The technology works by freezing ice or cooling water overnight, when electricity costs are at their lowest. Using this ice to cool the facility during the day helps to offset the facility's peak demand and lower the company's energy costs. Some Taiwanese buildings utilizing thermal energy storage technology include the MacKay Memorial Hospital in Hsin Chu and the Chicong Electronics Industrial Company in New Taipei City. The successes of these projects and growing awareness of energy storage benefits to store renewable energy will likely see the technology utilized in more locations across Taiwan.
