TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Green energy from the Philippines should not cost more than NT$4 (12 cents) per kilowatt-hour, Economics Minister Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) said Friday (Nov. 1).
The minister has repeatedly said there was the possibility of buying green power from overseas, even helping build the necessary plants in Japan or the Philippines. He mentioned opposition from residents in Taiwan as the reason for his suggestions.
Lawmakers questioned Kuo on Friday about the logic behind the acceptable maximum price of NT$4, per CNA. He replied it was the result of calculations by energy experts, which had also been accepted by European countries.
If green energy costs more than NT$4 per kWh, Taiwan would not be interested in buying it, he said. The price was also close to the cost of green energy produced by Taiwan.
Kuo mentioned the island of Luzon as a possibility for generating energy as it was only 300 kilometers away from Taiwan. State-run utility Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) would be responsible for moving the energy to Taiwan, either by ship or by undersea pipelines.