Energy Policy Against the Tide, Not Environmentally Friendly, and Unable to Safeguard Taiwan
United Daily News Editorial, December 6, 2023
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which is currently taking place in Dubai, has more than 100 countries vowing to increase renewable energy power generation by three times that of now within the next seven years, with more than 20 countries requesting to increase nuclear power generation three times by the year 2050. When the international community relabels nuclear power as “green energy,” and also specifically requests an increase in nuclear power to lower the threat of environmental pollution, this, to the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen, who has stubbornly grasped on to and relentlessly advocated nuclear power termination, is not just a harsh slap in the face. As Taiwan’s energy structure becomes more distorted day by day, this will be increasingly detrimental to the environment, economy, and national security.
The main reason that Taiwan’s current energy structure is so fragile stems from the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) “anti-nuclear” mindset; President Tsai first demonized nuclear power, then designed an energy transformation policy with “natural gas” and “green energy” as substitutes. On the surface, using natural gas and green energy as a substitute seems to be an ideal choice. However, this idealistic goal is not feasible in reality. The point is Taiwan only produces 2 percent of its energy, the other 98 percent relies on imports. Even if it were to replace natural gas with coal, natural gas is expensive and not easy to store. Currently, Taiwan’s natural gas reserve stockpile can only last eight to 11 days, from a national security standpoint, this is a fatal weakness.
To put it simply, Communist China does not need to dispatch troops. By just conducting a blockade on Taiwan Strait channels, Taiwanese ports will not be able to receive natural gas purchased from abroad. By then, Kaohsiung Yongan’s 1st Receiving Station, Taichung Port’s 2nd Receiving Station, the Taoyuan Guantang 3rd Liquified Natural Gas Receiving Station under construction, and natural gas carriers will not be able to enter and dock at ports. With this, in just around 10 days, Taiwan’s electric power supply will inevitably be paralyzed. In President Tsai’s energy policy design, the proportion of natural gas power generation is as high as 40 percent. This is a fragile foundation as it is restricted by natural gas suppliers overseas and by harsh transportation and receipt conditions, while also providing the enemy the convenience of hindrance and blockade.
What is more flabbergasting is, the Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-Hua claims, to make up for the lack of green energy power generation, the government has decided to increase the proportion of gas power generation from 40 percent to 52 percent in the year 2025. To increase dependence on natural gas means Taiwan will not only be exposed to the risk of higher international energy prices but also be more fragile in the risk of a gas outage and power outage crisis in a strait blockade. Also, with the current capacity of the three natural gas receiving stations, how is there capability to load and unload so much natural gas?
Coincidentally, Minister Wang’s claims also give away that the Tsai administration’s development of “green energy” is grand in objectives and speech, but a dwarf in action. In President Tsai’s energy transformation policy, the goal for green energy power generation was originally designed to reach 20 percent by 2025; yet seven and a half years have passed, the current green energy proportion is only a little more than 8 percent and has never reached 10 percent. The government has spent immense amounts of capital on wind power and opto-electric power but has only received in exchange continuous disputes, and no obvious effectiveness. What’s more serious, to pursue green energy development within the short term, it can be seen everywhere in Taiwan that photoelectric plants are destroying fertile fields and forests, wind turbines are infringing on fishermen’s traditional fishing grounds, and cases of collusion between government and business have been one of many. To put it nicely is to say it is “green energy,” but in reality, it’s destroying the environment under the claim of “government support,” triggering cries of complaints. Erroneous policies and oppression by government and businesses have all given “green energy” a bad name.
The Tsai administration is hostile towards nuclear energy, and yet cannot develop stable and reliable substitute energy but continue to recklessly shut down finely operating nuclear plants. Undoubtedly, this is an irrational action. Thus, in recent years, multiple locations have experienced power failures, becoming nightmares for both the people and enterprises. To put it bluntly, the reason behind this is the DPP’s craving for greatness and success while relying on ideology and bent on having their own way, holding great power but showing disregard for people’s livelihood, and refusing to listen to external advice. They are bringing Taiwan’s energy one step closer and closer to a situation of risk. President Tsai has presented a false appearance of peace and prosperity throughout her term, but as she steps down next year, leaving a mess behind, can DPP presidential candidate William Lai shoulder the weight? Will he be able to clean up the mess?
What’s ironic is, both President Tsai and Mr. Lai are key leaders in “resisting China and safeguarding Taiwan,” yet their energy policy not only is against the global trend, exploits Taiwan’s environment, worries people and enterprises, but also leaves the country’s fragile energy weakness exposed in front of Communist China. In this situation, how to safeguard Taiwan and develop the economy?