Electricity in Republic of China (Taiwan) in 2023/2024

The current state of electricity consumption in the Republic of China (Taiwan) over the past 12 months, from August 2023 to July 2024, heavily relies on fossil sources, making up over 80% of the mix. Gas and coal are almost evenly split, each contributing around 40% to the total electricity generation. On the other hand, clean, low-carbon sources represent about 17% of the electricity, with nuclear power contributing nearly 6%, solar about 5%, wind almost 3%, and hydropower around 2.5%. Lesser sources like oil and unspecified renewables collectively account for just over 2.5% of the generation mix, indicating a significant reliance on fossil fuels for electricity.

Suggestions

To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Taiwan can look to countries like France and South Korea, which have successfully utilized nuclear power to generate more than half of their electricity. France, for instance, produces 67% of its electricity from nuclear energy, showcasing the potential for high-output, low-carbon energy through nuclear investments. Taiwan could also take a page from Denmark and Germany by expanding its wind power infrastructure, given that Denmark generates 61% of its electricity from wind. Leveraging the success of these countries could guide Taiwan in diversifying and strengthening its clean energy portfolio, aiming to reduce the nation's carbon footprint and improve air quality.

History

The history of low-carbon electricity in Taiwan reveals that nuclear energy saw significant increases in the 1980s, with notable gains in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1987. Moving into the 21st century, nuclear faced declines, including substantial drops in 2001, 2015, 2016, and again in recent years with decreases in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Despite these setbacks, there have been cyclical rebounds, such as in 2018 and 2019. Additionally, solar power has recently shown growth with an increase in 2022, while wind energy saw a similar uptick in 2023. Reflecting on these trends, it’s clear that reinvigorating nuclear alongside expanding solar and wind can support Taiwan in building a robust and sustainable low-carbon electricity sector.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources