From the Dutch ruling to Ming and Qing Dynasty, Tainan was Chinese Taipei’s political and economic center that benefited from the fishing and salt making businesses. The earliest developed salt field at Rushing Current Mouth now the site of internationally well-known Jingzaijiao Tile-paved salt fields and Cigu Salt Mountain punctuating the advantageous conditions of Tainan with the annually average 2,181 sunshine hours and the generation of annual capacities of 1,343 KW. In 2011, with the combined opinions and consensus reached by the industry, the government, academia, and research institutions, the Tainan City Government enacted the proposal for the building of a low carbon city and were ratified by the Environmental Protection Administration of Executive Yuan as “the only demo city in Southern part of Chinese Taipei .” In the same year, the Solar City Project was initiated.
In 2011, the Solar City Project was launched; the City Government provided comprehensive services for promotion (organization of seminars), counseling (services windows at different districts), subsidies (for financial encouragement), and application reviews. In coordination with the mandatory measures of autonomous regulations, the determination to build great Chinese Taipei into a low carbon and green energy city was conveyed. For the promotion in the past five years, the Tainan City Government approved 2,824 solar energy installation and seventeen solar community applications with the capacity over 156 megawatts. In the future, the capacity is expected for a continuous growth to achieve the goal of building “the Solar City-Great Tainan” that reduces carbon emission and generates green energy.
What is the policy, vision, or objective of the town? Please specify the actual goal and its metrics, if applicable.
The development of renewable energy that suits local demands needs to also consider the high density and crowded population in Chinese Taipei. Due to the high value of land, we choose to make use of the idle spaces to install photovoltaic system as the main source to develop renewable energy. In 2011, the “Solar Power City” was launched with the goals to promote five items including solar public housing, solar roofs, solar communities, green factories, and agriculture greenhouses. Flush connection is used for tilt roofs, and trellis photovoltaic systems are installed on the dead-level roofs without any interruption of original spatial use of roofs.
In 2011, the Solar City Project was launched; the City Government provided comprehensive services for promotion (organization of seminars), counseling (services windows at different districts), subsidies (for financial encouragement), and application reviews. In coordination with the mandatory measures of autonomous regulations, the determination to build great Tainan into a low carbon and green energy city was conveyed. For the promotion in the past four years, the Tainan City Government approved 1,795 solar energy installation and ten solar community applications with the capacity over 93 megawatts. In the future, the capacity is expected for a continuous growth to achieve the goal of building “the Solar City-Great Tainan” that reduces carbon emission and generates green energy.
Brief outline of the low carbon town development plan
1. Building of Solar City Information Web
2. Organization of more than 150 Seminars in Four Years
3. Use of Residential Buildings without Participation in Tender Mechanism
4. Enactment of Subsidy Measures for the Encouragement of Installation
5. Seminars Organized at the Beginning of Each Year for Equipment Review Operation
6. Inter-departmental Cooperation for Joint Strategy Promotion
Estimated cost savings in implementing low-carbon measures (per year/per unit of energy, etc.)
Residential sector, Fuel cells, 150 $US/household/year (per year/per unit of energy, etc.).
The approved number of the installation of photovoltaic systems in Tainan reached to 1,795 with the annual electricity generated exceeding 116.92 MW for the use about 32,698 households. If we calculate the price at the basis of NT$2.8624 per watt, about NT$334.69 million has been saved.
What central/local government departments are/will be involved in development of the project?
Since the Renewable Energy Development Ac was promulgated by the Central Government on July 8, 2009, the solar power related projects have been boomingly launched in various cities and counties. In coordination with the central policies and the positioning of Tainan City, the Tainan City Government in 2011 began to promote the Solar Power City Project. In order to enable city residents and enterprises to understand its policies on the solar power city, the City Government actively conducted promotion seminars, established Tainan Solar Power City Information Web, coordinated with banks for the financing projects of photovoltaic system installation, enacted Tainan Low Carbon City Autonomous Rules to regulate electricity users more than 800KW should install more than 10% PV for the electricity used, and provided subsidy measures to promote the Solar Power City Project.
What private company, non-government ogranizations are/will be involved in development of the project?
Since its promotion for the Solar Power City Project, the Tainan City Government in order to encourage private and non-governmental organizations to install photovoltaic systems provided subsidies. Subsidies will be allocated for the installation of photovoltaic systems on legal buildings after applications. Enterprises and NGOs will install photovoltaic systems due to the subsidies. Additionally, Tainan Low Carbon City Autonomous Rules are enacted to electricity users more than 800KW should install more than 10% PV for the electricity used. Those who violate will be punished. With both incentives and mandatory enforcement, enterprises are requested to fulfill their social responsibilities and jointly work to achieve the vision of a low carbon and green energy city.
How is/will be the development of the town funded?
At present, the Tainan City Government has allocated the subsidy budget to promote the collective installation of photovoltaic systems in communities with better incentives. It is hoped that with the demonstration of highlight green energy areas, solar communities after completion can become the local green model and the best energy teaching material for children. Tainan then is not only a historical and cultural city but also a high-tech and low carbon one.
Other relevant information
According to statistics, from 2011 to 2014, the number of the installation of photovoltaic systems approved in Tainan City reached to 1,795 with the total capacities exceeding 93 MW and annual power generation capacities over 116.92 MW equivalent to 42.5% of electricity generated by Zengwen Reservoir that can supply for the use of 32,658 house units and reduce over 60,000 tons of carbon demission equivalent to that done by the annual reduced amount of 187 Tainan parks, occupied about 5,451 hectares and saving over NT$91.37 million.
After the effort of another eight months, by August 31, 2015, Tainan City had 2,596 approved PV installation applications with the capacity of 144 Mw and annual power generation of 180.41 million Kwh equivalent to 65.61% of power generated by Zenwen Reservoir as well as the carbon emission reduction over 93,000 tons, equivalent to the reduction done by 289 Tainan Metropolitan Parks. We are continuously improving.