German business daily Handelsblatt recently reported on Taiwan’s failed referendum to extend nuclear power and the island’s broader challenges in pursuing a green energy transition. The article featured insights from Dr. Tsai-Ying Lu, Director of the Energy Resilience Program at DSET.
The report noted that beyond sustainability concerns, Taiwan faces strategic vulnerabilities: 93% of its energy is imported fossil fuel, while since 2022 China has repeatedly conducted large-scale military exercises simulating blockades of maritime routes, threatening the stability of Taiwan’s energy imports.
Debates in Taiwan remain divided over whether nuclear energy could serve as a low-cost safeguard against long-term shortages or instead become an obvious wartime target. Raoul Kubitschek, Chair of the Taiwan Renewable Energy Alliance, told Handelsblatt that Taiwan has strong conditions for renewable development — a subtropical location, abundant sunlight, and steady strait winds — but pandemic disruptions and shifting policies have raised doubts about whether future capacity can keep up with Taiwan’s rising energy demand.
Addressing the issue, DSET’s Dr. Tsai-Ying Lu explained that the government has already adapted to changing threats. In times of crisis, Taiwan can activate standby coal-fired plants and implement electricity rationing: “The government has a priority list that specifies which companies and industries are granted access to electricity first,” she said. Such measures, she emphasized, are designed to buy time for allied intervention if energy imports are cut off.
Still, Lu agreed with Kubitschek that infrastructure resilience remains Taiwan’s weak point. The island’s grid is overly centralized, leaving it exposed not only to military strikes but also to cyberattacks, typhoons, and earthquakes. She stressed that Taiwan must adopt more decentralized strategies, including microgrids, energy storage, and substation facilities, while also drawing lessons from Ukraine’s wartime experience in rapid frequency regulation and grid stabilization.
