Taiwan Ministry of the Interior Pre-Announced the Draft Regulations for the Standards for the Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation Equipment on Buildings

To implement the key strategies of net-zero transformation and promote the use of solar photovoltaic renewable energy, the Ministry of the Interior pre-announced the draft regulations for the Standards for Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation Equipment on Buildings (hereinafter referred to as "the Draft"). It is proposed that, after the implementation of Article 12-1 of the Renewable Energy Development Act, when buildings are newly constructed, expanded, or renovated and meet certain conditions, the builder must install solar photovoltaic power generation equipment with a minimum installed capacity. The Draft stipulates the applicable building scope, scale, required capacity of photovoltaic equipment, exemptions, and the required documents for applying for a construction permit and usage permit (see Article 8 of the Draft), with the main content summarized as follows:

1.      Applicable Building Categories (see Article 2 of the Draft):

According to the classification under Article 3-3 of the General Provisions of the Building Technical Regulations, the Draft shall generally apply to all buildings except those used for religious purposes, funeral services, and hazardous materials.

2.      Standards for Required Installed Capacity of Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation Equipment (see Article 3 of the Draft):

According to the Draft, for every 20 square meters of newly constructed, expanded, or renovated building area, 1 kilowatt (kW) of solar photovoltaic equipment must be installed. Installation is not limited to the rooftop.

3.     Circumstances for Exemption from Installing Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation Equipment (see Articles 4, 5, and 6 of the Draft): Insufficient sunlight conditions leading to inadequate annual power generation per kW:

(1)   If, due to sunlight conditions, the estimated annual power generation per kW fails to meet the standard listed below, the builder may be exempt from installation after submitting a simulation and assessment report issued by an institution designated by the competent central energy authority.

(2)   If the structure, usage, or other special circumstances of the building make installation difficult, and such conditions are certified by the competent authority of the relevant sector.
 

4.      The Draft specifies the documents that must be submitted when applying for a construction permit, a usage permit, and a grid connection (see Article 8 of the Draft):

In conclusion, upon the Draft's entry into force, builders are advised to carefully assess whether the construction, expansion, or renovation of their buildings triggers a legal obligation to install solar photovoltaic power generation equipment.