Taiwan firm to introduce solar panels with display functions to Palau

Taipei, Feb. 7 (CNA) A Taiwanese company is seeking to introduce its state-of-the-art colored solar panel system to Palau in a bid to promote its technology overseas and develop green energy in the Pacific ally.

At a ceremony in Taipei on Friday, Palau's visiting Minister of State Gustav Aitaro signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with representatives from Join It Sustainable Co., Ltd. and the Taiwan Intelligent Zero Carbon Building Alliance.

The signing of the MOU, witnessed by officials from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Interior (MOI), will pave the way for Join It Sustainable to bring its painted photovoltaic technology to Palau.

At the event, Aitaro said the colored solar panel system, which can display advertisements, would drive Palau's energy transformation and give the island state a new way of highlighting its cultural heritage without disrupting its landscape.

The application of this technology will "leave a lasting mark" on the cooperation between Palau and Taiwan, he said, adding that it went beyond a technological exchange to serve as a testament to "our friendship, cultural exchanges, and shared determination to build a sustainable future together."

Color-painted solar panels are coated with a special colored or decorative layer on top of traditional photovoltaic panels and are usually attached to building facades.

According to Join It Sustainable, its color-painted solar panels, though more costly with a higher technical threshold, generate electricity on a par with traditional panels while also providing the additional function of displaying advertisements.

The company said it aimed to install the first color-painted solar panel in Palau by the third quarter of 2025.

Join It Sustainable Chairman Hsueh Wei-li (薛煒立) thanked the Palaun and Taiwanese governments as well as the company's partners for their support in the company's bid to introduce its technology overseas.

Friday's MOU marked "a new chapter of energy transformation in Palau," Hsueh said, adding that he looked forward to seeing the color-painted solar panel system "shine on the global stage."

Meanwhile, Deputy MOI Minister Dong Jian-hong (董建宏) said the MOU would not only facilitate technological exchanges between Taiwan and Palau but also demonstrate Taiwan's firm commitment to international sustainable development.

He added the color-painted solar panel system would "showcase Taiwan's innovative capabilities and provide practical solutions to global climate change challenges."