TAIPEI: The European Chamber of Commerce Taipei (ECCT) has expressed considerable enthusiasm toward Taiwan's solar power development, especially following the passage last month of a statute aimed at promoting renewable energy development.

The chamber suggested, however, that Taiwan increase cooperation with other regions pursuing solar power.

Certainly this move (legislation) will help, but more is needed in the form of tariff reductions, subsidies and searching for expertise and best practices from other regions, the ECCT said in an editorial in the latest edition of its bimonthly magazine.

The renewable energy development statute, which cleared the legislative floor on June 12, lays down a legal framework to encourage investment in renewable energy production. The legislation offers incentives to local consumers to install renewable energy equipment.

In addition to permitting the government-run Taiwan Power Co to buy electricity generated by private renewable energy investors, the bill also authorizes the government to take measures to speed up the development of renewable energy technologies.

The ECCT cited Germany as Taiwan's most likely partner in the field. Germany is considered to be the market leader in solar energy and the German government has been supporting the technology for years, the group said.

Some European companies are already bringing their expertise to Taiwan, the ECCT said. The Chamber cited the example of Germany-based Abakus Solar AG which has been contracted to build a playground solar structure at the Taipei European School.

The project will integrate solar panels into a playground roof to form a kind of shelter. While the structure keeps out the Sun and the rain without completely shutting out light, it will generate about NT$50,000 ($1,513) in electricity a year and save 5.5 tons of CO2 emissions.

The chamber also cited the main stadium for the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. The stadium is Taiwan's largest photovoltaic installation ever built. The stadium was fitted with solar panels manufactured by Taiwan's Lucky Power Technology Co Ltd, which relied on machines and know-how from Switzerland's 3S Swiss Solar Systems AG, according to the ECCT.

"The future is bright for solar in Taiwan," the chamber concluded.

The ECCT, which represents 370 multinational companies and 650 individual members from more than 30 different countries, is the principal organization promoting European business interests in Taiwan.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 07/09/2009 page2)