Taiwan's Power Emissions Hit Record Low But Miss Target, Penalties Weighed

Taiwan's electricity carbon emission factor hit a historic low in 2025, reaching 0.467 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt-hour (kg CO2e/kWh). However, this figure still fell short of the official target set by the Energy Administration, prompting discussions about potential penalties for the state-owned utility, Taipower.

To provide a more accurate reflection of energy consumption patterns, especially with the growing green energy market, the Energy Administration introduced new metrics last year. These include an "industrial electricity carbon emission factor" of 0.466 kg CO2e/kWh, designed for businesses engaged in carbon accounting and disclosure, and a "residential electricity carbon emission factor" of 0.471 kg CO2e/kWh for household users.

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The public utility electricity carbon emission factor is calculated based on Taipower's power sales system; the national electricity emission factor further incorporates green power transaction volumes such as private renewable energy direct supply and indirect supply, which can better reflect the overall emission situation of actual national electricity consumption.

Additionally, the "national electricity emission factor," which incorporates green energy transactions beyond Taipower's system, is estimated to have fallen to 0.456 kg CO2e/kWh. This indicates that corporate procurement of renewable energy is beginning to positively impact overall national emissions.

Despite these advancements, the public utility's emission factor exceeded the Energy Administration's target of 0.424 kg CO2e/kWh. The Energy Administration stated that a meeting will be held to discuss potential penalties for Taipower after the company provides its explanations. The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasized the need to accelerate renewable energy development alongside low-carbon gas units to ensure stable power supply and meet carbon reduction goals amidst rising demand from sectors like semiconductors and data centers.

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Facing the continuous growth of electricity demand driven by semiconductors, AI, and data centers, in addition to accelerating the construction of renewable energy, we must also rely on low-carbon gas units to maintain power supply stability, so as to balance energy security and carbon reduction goals, and continue to reduce the intensity of electricity emissions.