What is Taiwan's energy security?

Taiwan’s energy security is a complex and serious issue, one that cannot be sacrificed to populist or activist sentiment. The future of Taiwan’s energy mix must be determined through a rational, fact-based lens, with a clear focus on maintaining economic competitiveness and global leadership in high-tech industries.

What is Taiwan's energy mix?

Taiwan’s energy mix is imbalanced and heavily dependent on imports. As of last year, fossil fuels accounted for a staggering 81.8 percent of the nation’s electricity generation.

Does Taiwan rely on foreign energy?

Taiwan’s extreme reliance on imported energy sources poses significant risks. Nearly 98 percent of its fossil fuels are imported, primarily from the Middle East. This dependency on foreign energy, particularly in a region where China’s influence is expanding, raises concerns about Taiwan’s long-term energy security.

How can Taiwan move towards cleaner energy?

Officials over the past decade have realized the need to move Taiwan toward cleaner energy, including transitioning from primarily coal-fired generation (about 43% of the energy mix in 2023, according to Taiwanese government data) to more gas-fired power output (about 40% last year), and increasing the use of renewable energy resources.

How will GE vernova help Taiwan?

A GE Vernova-led project, completed in just 10 months, is helping Taiwan’s efforts for a more reliable power supply, along with supporting the integration of renewable energy resources in the country. Taiwan has long relied on fossil fuels to produce the island’s electricity.

Why is Taiwan building a power plant?

The plant is engineered to provide additional flexibility to Taiwan’s power generation fleet, supporting the country’s coal-to-gas transition along with enabling increased use of renewable energy (primarily from offshore wind farms), as Taiwan works toward a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2050.