By RK Shih/Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Taiwan’s state-run utility Taipower (台灣電力公司) has begun pilot testing hydrogen–natural gas blended power generation at its Kaohsiung thermal power plant, marking a new phase in efforts to cut emissions while maintaining power stability.
Taipower said the trial currently involves 5 megawatts of generation capacity and aims to reach a 20 percent hydrogen blend by 2028. Hydrogen co-firing tests at the Kaohsiung facility began in September 2023 using modified gas turbines, with the blend ratio already reaching 15 percent. At that level, the company estimates carbon emissions can be reduced by roughly 90 kilograms per hour.
Taipower has also showcased complementary technologies, including Taiwan’s first utility-scale microgrid platform designed to maintain electricity supply during disasters, as well as AI-assisted drone inspections that use image recognition and 5G connectivity to identify structural risks at power facilities.
The company is additionally developing a hydrogen energy storage system that produces hydrogen through electrolysis and integrates renewable power sources, with field testing planned at a southern solar power site in 2027.
Taipower Chair Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) said the utility faces growing pressure to balance power stability with decarbonization, particularly as electricity demand from AI data centers continues to increase.
Note on meaning of “state-run” – Shareholding data shows the government (through the Ministry of Economic Affairs) holds over 95% of the company’s shares, with the remainder held by banks and other institutional investors.
