Taoyuan’s Ministry of Economic Development says its new guidelines for solar projects are designed to make photovoltaics “trustworthy and reliable neighbors.” Solar operators will be required to inspect environmentally sensitive areas and prepare plans for the storage of damaged solar panels due to natural disasters when planning future projects.
The city of Taoyuan in northern Taiwan has published local guidelines for solar energy projects.
The guidelines, implemented by the city’s Department of Economic Development, aim to improve environmental protection, safety and future recycling of solar projects in the area.
They stipulate that operators will be required to conduct self-inspections on slopes or environmentally sensitive areas during the planning and site selection of future solar projects. The guidelines also recommend that developers engage in substantial communication with local residents during the planning phase.
Outside experts will be brought in by the city to conduct health checks of equipment once the plants come online, the guidelines added, while developers are expected to set up contact channels for local residents to report issues or ask questions.
Solar power plant operators will also be required to draw up plans for the storage of damaged panels due to natural disasters, to prevent pollution from misuse of broken panels.
The guidelines then promise stricter standards for the collection, storage and recycling of solar panels ready for scrap or recycling, to ensure panels do not become unmanaged waste.
Director of Taoyuan’s Department of Economic Development Chang Cheng noted that because the central government’s regulations mainly focus on power generation and land use, existing guidelines on environmental impact, safety management and handling of outdated equipment are not detailed enough.
“We must ensure that every photovoltaic project is managed from inception to retirement; this is the only way to be responsible for Taoyuan land,” the director said, adding that while the city welcomes green energy, it must also be “responsible.”
“The aim is to make photovoltaic installations reliable and trustworthy neighbors through these standards,” said a statement on the department’s website. “In the future, the [department] will continue to coordinate the efforts of various departments to make Taoyuan a new model for green energy management and sustainable governance across the country.”
Taoyuan’s new solar rules follow a series of changes to Taiwan’s legislative yuan on national-level regulations governing the development of ground-mounted and floating solar projects. The amendmentswhich was passed late last year, introduced requirements for environmental impact assessments prior to the development of solar projects and excluded solar installations larger than one hectare in scenic spots and geographically sensitive areas.
The policy changes came after a major typhoon hit southern Taiwan in early July. damage to more than 135,000 solar panels.
Taiwan is on track more than double current solar capacity by the end of 2035, with projected annual growth additions between 1 GW and 2 GW, according to an analysis by consultancy GlobalData.
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