President Tsai accompanies Marshall Islands President Heine to Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau and Tree Valley Park
On the morning of July 31, President Tsai Ing-wen accompanied a delegation led by Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine to visit the Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau, and tour the floating photovoltaic power system in the Tree Valley Park. President Tsai personally briefed President Heine on the current status of green energy development in Taiwan, and expressed Taiwan's willingness to provide the related technologies and resources to help the Marshall Islands develop alternative energy sources.
Shortly after President Tsai and President Heine arrived at the Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau they were briefed by Taiwan Power Company and Neo Solar Power Corporation on Taiwan's progress and achievements in transitioning to green energy over the past few years and our vision for the future, and exchanged ideas about these issues.
President Tsai then delivered the following remarks in English.
Your Excellency President Heine and members of the delegation:
I hope you found today's presentation helpful. From my last visit to the Marshall Islands, I understand that the Marshall Islands does have this need for alternative energy. I am so delighted we have this opportunity to present to you what we have here.
The presentation is arranged in such a way to suit the particular needs of the Marshall Islands. I am sure there are other issues that you may want to ask us further. But given the constraint of time, perhaps we can arrange follow-up meetings with members of your delegation so that you will have more time and be freer to ask us questions that you might have in mind. But I hope that you found the presentation today useful and interesting.
What I can assure you is that we do have the technology in terms of developing all sorts of alternative energy. Hopefully we can be helpful for your road map towards alternative energy. You expect to achieve alternative energy use 20% of your total energy supply by 2020? That’s very ambitious. But we will do whatever we can to provide you with the technology and other resources that may be needed in your development of solar power and other alternative energy in the Marshall Islands.
We are both nations surrounded by the ocean, and are facing the same challenges of climate change and challenges associated with global warming. Our two countries have a common understanding of the future potential importance of green energy sources. There is no shortage of sunshine in the Marshall Islands, and we have a lot here in Taiwan.
As you mentioned wind power, we are developing our wind power as well, especially offshore power generation capabilities. We have a massive project here now being developed, and it is enormous. We have to bring in expertise from European countries who have more advanced experience in that regard.
That is another area we've been focusing on.
The other area is solar power, where it's easier to overcome technical challenges and relatively more convenient to store power. So in terms of developing alternative energy, our solar power is more advanced than wind power, but we're doing both, moving full speed ahead. And we do have a plan that alternative energy will account for 20% of our total energy supply by 2025. So our two countries are equally ambitious, and marching towards our goals.
We have shown you several successful cases, particularly when we combine power generation with activities like agriculture. We have several successful models that you may want to consider while you're organizing your own plan in the future. So if you are interested in that regard, we may be able to make arrangements for you or the members of the delegation to visit those places where we have successful business models.
I am so delighted we have this opportunity to make this important presentation to you. I understand this is only the beginning. In the future we are ready to help whenever you have a need for technology and for other systems you might need on your way towards alternative energy development. Thank you.
President Tsai and President Heine also visited the floating photovoltaic power system at the Tree Valley Park.
The Tree Valley Solar Farm, by far Taiwan's largest floating photovoltaic power system, was jointly developed by the Tainan City Government and a subsidiary of AU Optronics. President Tsai also accompanied President Heine to AU Optronics for a briefing on the current status and benefits of power generation operations on the detention ponds in the Tree Valley Park.