Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on Tuesday announced the 2020 feed-in tariff (FIT) rates for renewable energy generation, with the rate for onshore wind power facilities with a capacity of 1 to 30 kW to be raised above the previously proposed level.
The ministry will raise the FIT level for electricity from onshore wind power for next year from the previously proposed NT$7.7916 (US$0.26) per kilowatt-hour (kWh), to NT$7.7998 kWh after taking into account increasing operating and maintenance costs.
Feed-in tariffs (FIT) are fixed electricity prices paid to renewable energy (RE) producers for each unit of energy produced and provided to the electricity grid.
Meanwhile, FIT rates for renewable energy sources such as biomass, hydro power and biodegradable waste will be raised by 1-4 percent next year, while that for geothermal power generation will be maintained at this year's level.
The FIT rate for solar photovoltaic power generation plus the cost of solar panel recycling will be cut to NT$3.9408- NT$5.7788 per kWh, a drop of 0.34-2.44 percent from this year's level.
At the same time, the rate for energy generated by solar PV systems with a capacity of under 20kW will be trimmed from NT$5.7983 per kWh this year to NT$5.7788 per kWh next year, according to the MOEA.
The flat FIT for offshore wind energy over the next 20 years is set at NT$5.0946 per kWh, though under a tiered FIT scheme, wind power sold in the first 10 years will be priced at NT$5.8015 per kWh and for the second 10 years at NT$3.8227 per kWh.
With the exception of the rate for onshore wind power facilities with a capacity of 1 to 30 kW, the new FIT rates that go into effect Jan. 1, 2020 are set in accordance with the Renewable Energy Development Act.
Meanwhile, the ministry will continue to offer incentives for green energy participation, such as a 3 percent increase in FIT rates for the installation of rooftop solar panels, a 6 percent increase for the installation of high-efficiency solar panels and a 15 percent increase for the building of solar-energy systems in areas north of Miaoli, Yilan and Hualien; as well as the installation of renewable-energy systems on outlying islands, it said.
Next year, the ministry will add three incentives, including providing a 6 percent rise in the rate for sport facilities that have solar systems approved by the Ministry of Education and a 1 percent increase for the installation of rooftop solar systems in indigenous communities and rural areas.
In addition, solar power projects affected by the rate change will be extended, including up to 18 months for the installation of solar power systems with a booster station of 69kW or above.
(By Tsai Peng-min and Evelyn Kao)
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