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Baseload Power’s Wennerberg (Vimmerby) geothermal project in Hongye Village, Hualien, is the first to obtain Indigenous community consent. (Photo: Baseload)
Taiwan’s geothermal resources have long been seen as a key pillar of its renewable energy strategy. However, policy targets have shifted repeatedly. Under the flagship carbon reduction action plan approved by the Executive Yuan in October 2025, the 2030 geothermal capacity target was raised sharply from 200 MW to 1.2 GW.
Yet the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has since scaled the target back down to 200 MW, citing a more pragmatic approach, marking yet another shift in Taiwan’s geothermal development path.
Wang Shou-cheng (王守誠), executive director of the Taiwan Geothermal Association, said the 200 MW target has already been postponed three times. The goal was first set for 2020 during the Ma administration, later pushed to 2025 under the Tsai administration, and although the Lai administration briefly set a more ambitious target of 1.2 GW by 2030, it has now been scaled back to 200 MW.
Wang said the repeated revisions reflect a pattern of policy inconsistency. He argued that Taiwan’s geothermal development cannot rely solely on state owned players such as Taipower and CPC, and should instead bring in international partners and expand the scale of industry development.
Unlock the full article to explore three key takeaways:
- Taiwan’s geothermal targets have been delayed three times and repeatedly scaled down, with policy reversals undermining market confidence and development stability.
- State-led development and institutional bottlenecks have constrained efficiency and slowed the inflow of international resources.
- Scaling up deployment and shifting toward private-sector leadership, supported by incentive mechanisms, could drive broader industry and supply chain participation.
