TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s drive toward renewable energy has drawn sharp criticism from environmental advocates, fish farmers, and coastal communities, who say the government’s lack of planning and coordination has turned flagship projects into sources of harm rather than sustainability.
The government’s flagship initiatives, the “Fishery and Electricity Symbiosis” program and offshore wind development, aim to expand renewable energy. However, stakeholders say the lack of planning, research, and coordination has instead created conflict, economic loss, and legal battles, per News&Market.
Under the symbiosis initiative, solar panels are installed on fish farms to create a second revenue stream for the land owners. However, the influx of solar developers into aquaculture zones has driven up land prices, pricing out small-scale fish farmers.
Aquaculture Development Association CEO Hou Yen-lung (侯彥隆) pointed out that many farmers are reliant on rented land to maintain business. He said that even when farmers are willing to pay higher rents, landlords often favor leasing to solar companies due to more lucrative returns and less risk. Tainan Cigu District activist Chen Hsuan-yu (沈軒宇) warned the practice is distorting local land use.
Solar farms also threatens long-standing industries like milkfish farming. A Chiayi County aquaculture association official warned that rising prices caused by reduced production could collapse the milkfish farming industry's domestic market share.
The government’s failure to provide successful case studies of integrated solar-fish farms has also eroded trust. A prominent case involves Chiayi fish farmer Chen Chin-mo (陳錦模), once hailed as a model participant, per News&Market.
Chen entered a partnership with Taiwan Cement to install solar panels on his land. However, by 2023, he had lost 70% of his aquaculture farming area due to poor project design.
Chen’s loss of production led to the revocation of his solar generation license, prompting Taiwan Cement to sue for lost energy revenue. Industry experts say early projects often lacked proper planning, with solar infrastructure incompatible with aquaculture needs.
Award-winning aquaculture farmer Huang Kuo-liang (黃國良) criticized the scheme’s carbon reduction claims. He noted that while electricity is sold to Taipower, farmers still rely on conventional energy for operations.
National Pingtung University professor Cheng Win-ton (鄭文騰) said the program is misframed as a fisheries upgrade, when in fact it neglects farmer needs and equipment modernization. He stressed that leasing fish farms to sell power is not a solution.
Meanwhile, along Taiwan’s western coast, the construction of offshore wind farms has disrupted traditional fishing grounds. In 2021, the transport ministry designated waters off Changhua County as wind farm zones, restricting fishing access while allowing commercial shipping routes, per News&Market.
Yunlin fisher Li Ping-shun (李平順) was shocked by the announcement. He said that it is a mistake to allow cargo ships but not fishing boats. After legal challenges, the restriction was revoked, and fishing resumed.
“We support renewable energy,” said Li. “We just want to keep fishing.”
Former National Taiwan Ocean University professor Chiau Wen-yan (邱文彥) argued the government has moved too quickly, often without a comprehensive review, per ETtoday. Regulations for ocean area usage only apply to areas within 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) from shore or under 30 meters deep, leaving the 3–12 nautical mile zone, ideal for wind development, in regulatory limbo.
Associate Professor Sun Nan-jay (蘇楠傑) of National Taiwan Ocean University added that wind turbines may alter local currents and seabed conditions, requiring fishermen to adapt. He called for dialogue between government, turbine operators, and local communities to achieve a balanced approach for future development.
