ThinkGeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News

NGO’s urge geothermal development at Shenao coal-fired plant, Taiwan

Taiwanese NGOs urge the government of Taiwan to stop planning coal-fired facilities at the Shenao power plant. With its closeness to the volcanic Keelung Islet, there is potential for geothermal development.

As reported by Taipei Times in Taiwan, the Taiwanese government is being urged to “stop planning coal-fired facilities at the Shenao Power Plant and instead consider a geothermal energy plant, environmentalist Kao Cheng-yan told an annual meeting of Taiwanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) this weekend.

This year’s meeting, the 15th of its kind, was titled “Sustainable Taiwan, Civil Actions” and co-organized by the Life Conservationist Association, the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union and other environmental NGOs.

Many discussion topics at the meeting revolved around the nation’s energy policy, especially the planned coal-fired Shenao plant organized by state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) in New Taipei City’s Rueifang District.

The construction project has sparked much criticism since March 14, when it passed an Environmental Protection Administration environmental impact assessment amid opposition by the New Taipei City Government and civic groups.

The Shenao plant must be built to meet the north’s electricity demand, 4 percent of which is now transmitted from power plants in the central and southern regions, Minister Without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen  said in a radio interview on Friday.

Kao, who was one of two people to be granted a lifetime achievement award at this year’s meeting, yesterday urged the government to replace the two coal-fired generators planned at the Shenao plant with geothermal facilities in a bid to avoid more air pollution and carbon emissions from coal combustion.

The plant’s planned location is only about 7 km from the volcanic Keelung Islet and is thus well-situated to host a geothermal plant, he said.

Source: Taipei Times

Exit mobile version