Ministry of Economic Affairs sets aggressive energy-saving goals for corporations

On January 2, 2025, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Taiwan announced updated energy-saving goals and regulations aimed at promoting energy efficiency within the corporate sector. As part of the Energy Administration Act, companies with a contract capacity exceeding 800 kilowatts previously had to conserve an average of 1 percent of electricity over a ten-year period from 2015 to 2024. The implementation of these energy-saving measures is a crucial step due to the expiring regulations at the end of 2024. Recent statistics revealed that around 4,900 entities that fell under these regulations achieved an average energy-saving rate of 1.46 percent, amounting to a significant reduction of 24.48 billion kilowatt-hours from 2015 to 2023, demonstrating the effectiveness of such conservation efforts. Notably, the newly introduced rules are expected to drive corporations to save an additional 9.47 billion kilowatt-hours over the next four years, reinforcing the emphasis on sustainability. Under the updated guidelines, companies are mandated to better integrate their internal resources and strive towards lowering energy consumption across all branch offices and campuses. The individual goals for each organization are now tailored based on their total contract capacity, thus acknowledging the varying scales of operations. Furthermore, state-owned enterprises must adhere to a stricter requirement, with a mandatory annual saving rate set at 1.5 percent. This stricter requirement speaks to the governmental push for leading by example in energy conservation. To facilitate these ambitious changes, the MOEA is not only focusing on enforcing the regulations but is also enhancing support systems. They have established comprehensive channels for evaluating energy efficiency and are promoting collaborations between high electricity consumers and energy service companies. This is aimed at providing financial and technological support to enterprises seeking to improve their energy-saving capabilities. Overall, the MOEA’s announcement signifies a critical step toward achieving higher energy efficiency in Taiwan’s corporate sector. The update is projected to not only drive immediate energy savings but also create a long-term culture of sustainability within the corporate landscape, reflecting the country's broader commitment to environmental responsibility and energy conservation.