Farmers and fishermen will be prioritized in green energy development, according to Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) in an interview on Monday. This was in response to Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan’s (張麗善) statement that they will suspend the issuance of renewable energy power plant permits due to possible heavy effects on agricultural land and fisheries.
Yunlin County has requested that the central government formulate review standards for the development of green energy. Chang said that citizens are protesting the likely agricultural and ecological consequences of solar photovoltaic facilities and that she hopes land use and operating standards can be regulated by the central government with emphasis on farmers’ and fishermen’s rights.
Cho responded that transparent and reasonable mechanisms will be formulated, put in place, and lawbreakers will be severely punished. However, he also said that local governments cannot attach importance to technological development if they do not want to invest in energy transformation. Cho emphasized that the central government will adhere to the principles of open communication and people first and urges relevant ministries and councils to work together to complete Taiwan's second energy transformation.