Mitsubishi Power | Fast-forwarding Decarbonization in Taiwanwith Natural

Overview

Bustling Small Island Is Full of Energy, with Strong Support for Innovation

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• Taiwan is a leaf-shaped island in the West Pacific between Japan and the Philippines. Although the size of the island is around 36,000 square kilometers, about the same size as Japan’s Kyushu Island, Taiwan has a population of around 23 million people, and it has a robust economy. According to the Heritage Foundation, a thinktank in the U.S., Taiwan ranks number 6 on the Index of Open Economy. Taiwan’s economic and cultural center is Taipei. The first thing you’d be amazed by when visiting this city is the number of motorcycles that fill the streets. The city is also filled with food stalls and night markets, reflecting the dining culture of eating out. Taipei is a lively place, bustling day and night. (Note1)

  The Taiwanese government has implemented “2030 Smart Taiwan” vision, emphasizing “Innovative, Inclusive and Sustainable.” It actively supports start-ups and innovation, and it promotes a variety of initiatives in the environment and energy sectors, as well as in the country’s world-leading information and communication technology (ICT) and manufacturing sectors.(Note2)

  • 1“2022-2023 Taiwan at Glance,” issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, November 2022
  • 2Same as Note 1.

Reducing CO₂ Emissions Toward Decarbonization by 2050

In April 2021, the Taiwanese government announced its commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In March 2022, the government laid out specific measures in the “2050 Net Zero Emissions Roadmap,” which includes investing approximately 3.78 trillion yen by 2030 to accelerate progress toward decarbonization. (Note3) The most pressing issue is to reduce CO₂ emissions from companies and factories. In Taiwan, there are many companies that still use coal. Many of them are now looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint on their own, not just because the government is requiring them to do so.

• 3“Understanding Taiwan’s Roadmap to Decarbonization,” JETRO, May 2022

Gas Turbines from Mitsubishi Power
Chosen to Reduce Coal Consumption

To be proactive in this effort, Taiwan’s leading petrochemical conglomerate, the Chang Chun Group, has begun installing new facilities that can support energy transition. The group has decided to use Mitsubishi Power’s H-25 gas turbines in two natural gas-fired cogeneration facilities, one at the Chang Chun Plastics Dafa Factory and the other at the Chang Chun Petrochemical Miaoli Factory. In both cases, our highly efficient H-25 gas turbines will replace existing coal-fired boilers, which will reduce coal consumption and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.

Outcomes

Reducing Environmental Impact Further
Using Mitsubishi Power’s Highly Efficient H-25 Gas Turbines

The two cogeneration facilities for Chang Chun Plastics Dafa Factory and the Chang Chun Petrochemical Miaoli Factory are natural gas-fired combined heat and power systems, in which electricity is generated by a gas turbine with a waste heat recovery boiler to extract process steam. Compared to conventional coal-fired boilers, this system has the advantage of allowing high-efficiency use of multiple energy sources while reducing CO₂ emissions, which contribute to greenhouse effects. The H-25 gas turbines from Mitsubishi Power have been optimized for use in industrial facilities and cogeneration systems, and nearly 200 units have been installed and operated in Japan and other countries. Switching from conventional coal-fired boilers to the natural gas-fired H-25 gas turbines, the plants can achieve higher operational efficiency and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions greatly. With this energy transition, the Chang Chun Group is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions from the Chang Chun Plastics Dafa Factory and the Chang Chun Petrochemical Miaoli…