Taiwan economics ministry targets geothermal expansion with new measures
台灣經濟部推出新措施，瞄準地熱開發。
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs has introduced three measures to expand geothermal energy and plans new projects in Taitung County, CNA reported Sunday.
The measures include clearer regulations, financial incentives, and a greater role for state-owned companies in leading development. Officials said geothermal power can generate electricity around the clock and is more stable than wind and solar energy, which depend on weather conditions. UDN reported that the ministry has selected Beinan and Luye townships in Taitung as priority sites for new projects. These projects are expected to attract nearly NT$1.7 billion (US$53 million) in investment and generate about 7 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply power to thousands of households. To encourage investment, the government has added a geothermal chapter to the Renewable Energy Development Act and introduced a single review system to streamline approvals. It has also launched a tiered pricing mechanism, offering up to NT$8.5 per kilowatt-hour in early stages to ease financial pressure on developers, per Economic Daily News. As drilling is costly and carries risks, the government will subsidize up to 50% of exploration costs, capped at NT$100 million per project. Officials said the support is intended to attract private companies and accelerate development. The ministry has also launched a national geothermal data platform to provide geological and survey data, helping companies better assess risks. Officials said greater transparency will reduce uncertainty and encourage investment. Taiwan is estimated to have up to 40 gigawatts of geothermal potential, though current output remains limited. State-run CPC Corporation and Taiwan Power Company are leading deeper exploration projects to develop a more stable, long-term source of clean energy. |
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| Lai Jyun-tang Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2026-03-23 |
