Taiwan before nuclear power: Does the green energy miracle become a reality?

Taiwan before nuclear power: Does the green energy miracle become a reality?

Taiwan, Land - On May 15, 2025, Taiwan faces decisive changes in its energy policy because the country plans to switch off its last nuclear power plant. This measure takes place against the background of an increasing energy requirement, which could increase by 12 to 13 percent by 2030, which is particularly due to the booming semiconductor industry and the development of artificial intelligence (AI). According to Al Jazera 2030 will consume so much electricity that this corresponds to about a quarter of the total flow requirement of the Taiwanese population.

In this context, Taiwan strives to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, which requires an increase in the proportion of renewable energies in energy production from currently 12% to 60%. According to a report, the development of renewable energies remains behind the ambitious goals. By November 2024, the proportion of renewable energies was only 11.1%, which missed the target of 20% by the end of the year. The government had to reduce the goal for 2025 to 15% - this will also not be achieved.

energy transition and political arguments

The political landscape in Taiwan is heavily polarized, especially as far as nuclear energy is concerned. While the ruling democratic progress party (DPP) represents an anti-nuclear attitude, opposition parties such as the Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party have supported a recent draft law that enables nuclear power plants to submit applications for extension of operating hours beyond the originally planned 40 years. This law could open future developments in the field of nuclear energy door, despite the sharp criticism of environmental groups such as Greenpeace.

Another problem is that energy production in Taiwan decreased by 7.36% from 2016 to 2024. Chia-Wei Chao from the Taiwan Climate Action Network argues that a revival of nuclear energy could invest in the renewable weaknesses, while Lena Chang from Greenpeace highlights the concerns about security, nuclear waste disposal and environmental risks. It is committed to ensuring that the chip industry assumes a large part of the responsibility for the energy transition.

challenges and solutions for the future

The energy transition in Taiwan is accompanied by various challenges. The pipeline for renewable energies has declined, and forecasts indicate a deficiency of almost 7 gigawatts by 2029, which endangers the government's goals. In the solar sector in particular, there are negative public perceptions and fragmented land use that hinder progress. Offshore wind power is considered crucial for the success of the energy transition, but no financial conclusions for offshore wind projects were achieved in 2024.

In order to achieve the target of 20 GW installed performance by 2025, almost 6 GW would have to be installed by the end of 2025, and the solar thermal capacity grows more slowly than expected. This deficit is surprised when you consider that Taiwan has increased the capacity of renewable energies by 16 GW since 2016, but is 6.4 GW behind the target of 27 GW for 2025.