News
Amendment bill mandates solar panels on new buildings
The cabinet has approved a draft amendment bill proposing that all newly constructed, added or altered structures should have rooftop solar panels installed.
The move is part of the government's efforts to boost the use of renewable energy and under the proposal, building owners will be allowed to sell the electricity generated or use it themselves.
According to deputy economics minister Tseng Wen-sheng, Taiwan has a total installed capacity of 9.3 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy and of that total some 65% comes from rooftop solar panels.
Tseng says if lawmakers pass the draft amendment, it will require solar panels to be incorporated into building designs, circumventing the need for retrofitting and providing buildings with extra insulation from the sun.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has been tasked with working out the specifics of the proposed draft amendment - including the date on which the rule will come into effect.
