Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

An examination on the feed-in tariff policy for renewable electricity: Taiwan’s case example

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Taiwan’s feed-in tariff (FIT) policy, revised in 2009, sets a goal to increase the installation capacity 6,500–10,000 MW (megawatts) of renewable power systems in 20 years. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the goal can be achieved or not. This paper presents an overview of FIT policies implemented in some leading countries and their performance of renewable electricity installed capacity and generation. This paper presents two outlook scenarios for Taiwan’s renewable power installation capacity by using Germany as a benchmark after a detailed analysis and discussion on Taiwan’s historical evolution of renewable energies. The Moderate Scenario projects that total cumulative capacity of renewable power systems increases from 5,813.8 MW in 2010 to 7,245.99 MW in 2030, while the Optimistic Scenario estimates the total renewable power capacity will be 11,977.14 MW in 2030. The total increase in the new installation capacity attain to 1,432.19 and 6,163.64 MW for the two scenarios, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. In this paper, the term “feed-in tariff” is used for the total amount per KWH received by an independent producer of solar PV electricity, paid by the government attorney (Taiwan Power Company).

References

  • Ackermann T, Andersson G, Svder L (2001) Overview of government and market driven programs for the promotion of renewable power generation. Renew Energy 22:197–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Astrand K, Neij L (2006) An assessment of governmental wind power programmes in Sweden—using a systems approach. Energy Policy 34(3):277–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BOE (Bureau of Energy) (2009) Taiwan’s energy policy: supply and demand situation. Energy. Taipei: Bureau of Energy, Taiwan

    Google Scholar 

  • BOE (Bureau of Energy) (2012) Energy statistics handbook 2011. Taipei: Bureau of Energy, Taiwan

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler L, Neuhoff K (2008) Comparison of feed-in tariff, quota and auction mechanisms to support wind power development. Renew Energy 33:1854–1867

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen CC (2010) Spatial inequality in municipal solid waste disposal across regions in developing countries. Int J Environ Sci Tech 7(3):447–456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen CC, Chen YT (2008) Income effect or policy result: a test of the Environmental Kuznets Curve. J Clean Prod 16:59–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Couture T, Gagnon Y (2010) An analysis of feed-in tariff remuneration models: implications for renewable energy investment. Energy Policy 38:955–965

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Carolis JF, Keith DW (2006) The economics of large-scale wind power in a carbon constrained world. Energy Policy 34:395–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Del Rio P, Gual MA (2007) An integrated assessment of the feed-in tariff system in Spain. Energy Policy 35:994–1012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dincer F (2011) Overview of the photovoltaic technology status and perspective in Turkey. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 15:3768–3779

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EIA (Energy Information Administration) (2011) International Energy Data. available at: http://www.eia.gov/emeu/international/energy.html

  • EIA (Energy Information Administration) (2013) Assumptions to the Annual Energy Outlook 2010. http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/aeo/assumption/pdf/renewable.pdf

  • EPIA (European Photovoltaic Industry Association) (2011a) Global market outlook for photovoltaics until 2015

  • EPIA (European Photovoltaic Industry Association) (2011b) Solar generation 6: Solar photovoltaic electricity empowering the world 2011

  • EWEA (the European Wind Energy Association) (2011a) Annual Report 2010: Powering the energy debate

  • EWEA (the European Wind Energy Association) (2011b) Pure power, Wind energy goals for 2020 and 2030

  • Faiers A, Neame C (2006) Consumer attitudes towards domestic solar power systems. Energy Policy 34:1797–1806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finon D, Perez Y (2007) The social efficiency of instruments of promotion of renewable energies: a transaction-cost perspective. Ecol Econ 62(1):77–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fouquet D, Johansson TB (2008) European renewable energy policy at crossroads: focus on electricity support mechanisms. Energy Policy 36(11):4079–4092

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foxon TJ, Pearson PJG (2007) Towards improved policy processes for promoting innovation in renewable electricity technologies in the UK. Energy Policy 35:1539–1550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foxon T, Gross R, Chase A, Howes J, Arnall A, Anderson D (2005) UK innovation systems for new and renewable energy technologies: drivers, barriers and systems failures. Energy Pol 33:2123–2137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fthenakis VM (2000) End-of-life management and recycling of PV modules. Energy Policy 28:1051–1058

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IEA (International Energy Agency) (2011) International data statistics. http://www.iea.org/stats/renewdata.asp?

  • Jacobsson S, Lauber V (2006) The politics and policy of energy system transformation-explaining the German diffusion of renewable energy technology. Energy Policy 34(3):256–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein A (2008) Feed-in tariff designs: options to support electricity from renewable energy sources. Lightning Source Inc., Tennessee

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreiger MA, Shonnard DR, Pearce JM (2013) Life cycle analysis of silane recycling in amorphous silicon-based solar photovoltaic manufacturing. Resour Conserv Recycl 70:44–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langniss O, Diekmann J, Lehr U (2009) Advanced mechanisms for the promotion of renewable energy: models for the future evolution of the German renewable energy act. Energy Policy 37(4):1289–1297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lipp J (2007) Lessons for effective renewable electricity policy from Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom. Energy Policy 35(11):5481–5495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie JJ (2003) Technology growth curves: a new approach to reducing global CO2 emissions. Energy Policy 31:1183–1187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marwede M, Reller A (2012) Future recycling flows of tellurium from cadmium telluride photovoltaic waste. Resour Conserv Recycl 69:35–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald NC, Pearce JM (2010) Producer responsibility and recycling solar photovoltaic modules. Energy Policy 38:7041–7047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendonca M (2007) Feed-in tariffs: accelerating the deployment of renewable energy, ISBN 9781844074662. Earth Scan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer NI (2003) European schemes for promoting renewables in liberalized markets. Energy Policy 31:665–676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell C, Connor P (2004) Renewable energy policy in the UK 1990–2003. Energy Policy 32:1935–1947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell C, Bauknecht E, Connor PM (2006) Effectiveness through risk reduction: a comparison of the renewable obligation in England and Wales and the feed-in system in Germany. Energy Policy 34(3):297–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MOEA (2005) The 2005 White Paper for energy policy. Taipei: Minister of Economic Affairs, Taiwan

    Google Scholar 

  • MOEA (2007) The 2007 White Paper for energy technology research and development. Taipei: Minister of Economic Affairs, Taiwan

    Google Scholar 

  • Morthorst PE (2009) Awerbuch S. In: Krohn S (ed) The economics of wind energy. European Wind Energy Association, Belgium

    Google Scholar 

  • NREL (2011) http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/market_re_data_solar.html

  • Rowlands I (2005) Envisaging feed-in tariffs for solar photovoltaic electricity: European lessons for Canada. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 9:51–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rowlands I (2007) The development of renewable electricity policy in the province of Ontario: the influence of ideas and timing. Rev Policy Res 24(3):185–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarzynski A, Larrieu J, Shrimali G (2012) The impact of state financial incentives on market deployment of solar technology. Energy Policy 46:550–557

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sovacool BK (2008) The dirty energy Dilemma: what’s blocking clean power in the United States. Praeger Publishers, Santa Barbara

    Google Scholar 

  • Terrados J, Almonacid G, Hontoria L (2007) Regional energy planning through SWOT analysis and strategic planning tools: impact on renewables development. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 11:1275–1287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trapani K, Millar DL, Smith HCM (2013) Novel offshore application of photovoltaics in comparison to conventional marine renewable energy technologies. Renew Energy 50:879–888

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiser R, Bolinger M (2010) The 2009 wind technologies market report. Published by NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), available at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/48666.pdf

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions on an earlier version of this paper. The responsibility for any error remained in this paper should be born by the author. In addition, the author thanks National Science Committee (Taiwan) for its financial support under contract no.: NSC 98-2410-H-343-001-MY3.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Master Program of Leisure Environment Management, Department of Tourism Management, Nanhua University, 55, Nanhua Road, Sect. 1, Dalin, Chiayi, 622, Taiwan

    Chung-Chiang Chen

Authors
  1. Chung-Chiang Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chung-Chiang Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, CC. An examination on the feed-in tariff policy for renewable electricity: Taiwan’s case example. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 11, 1223–1236 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0297-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0297-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation