TAIWAN TO GROW SOLAR

Here’s another government wisely planning to development New Energy.

Some will say New Energy growth is a matter left to the free market. Fine. Don’t provide incentives to the Old Energies. Cut off R&D to Big Coal. Cut off production tax credits and depletion allowances to Big Oil. Make nuclear pay for its own insurance.

And make the fossil fuel industries pay for the harm to public health from emissions and pollution.

Or do like foresighted governments all over the world are now doing: Mandate and incentivize the development of New Energy.

Taiwan sees massive growth in solar energy
November 27, 2007 (AFP via Yahoo News)

WHO
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Bureau of Energy/economics ministry)

click to enlarge

WHAT
Taiwan’s officials predict their solar energy industry will climb from its 2006 value of 21.1 billion Taiwanese dollars to a value of 403.1 billion Taiwanese dollars by the middle of the next decade.

WHEN
Forecast for 2015 announced November 27.

WHERE
The forecast is of activity in Taiwan’s solar energy sector, which officials describe as a “strategic industry.”

World solar corporate power Kyocera's estimate of Taipei, Taiwan's monthly (January, 1, thru December, 12) kilowatt-hours (pink) and kilowatt-hours/square meter (blue) of solar energy.

WHY
- Taiwan expects to account for 7% of world solar generation equipment production by 2015 .
- The Taiwanese government plans to help create a vertically integrated industry, from upstream (silicon and crystal materials) to midstream (photovoltaic panels and batteries) to downstream (systems and installation).

QUOTES
Taiwan economics ministry: “The ministry has designated solar energy as a strategic industry…”