Taiwan is actively advancing its geothermal energy sector as a key component of its strategy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. With massive untapped geothermal potential, the government has set ambitious capacity targets and talk of geothermal development is ever more frequently making headlines.

To facilitate this interest, Taiwan implemented the "Geothermal Exploration and Development Permit and Management Regulation" in May 2024. This regulation outlines clear guidelines for exploration and development permits, including applicant qualifications, required documentation and safety standards, such as maintaining a minimum distance between wells and other infrastructure.

Currently, there are over 20 geothermal projects either operational or under development across Taiwan, particularly in regions like Datunshan north of Taipei, Qingshui in Yilan to the Southeast of the capital, Ruisui in Hualien on the Pacific coast and Hongye in Taitung – also on the Pacific seaboard.

Notably, the Sihuangziping Pilot Geothermal Power Plant in Jinshan, New Taipei City, which commenced operations in late 2023, is Taiwan's first geothermal facility powered by direct volcanic activity, with a capacity of 1 MW, and plans in place to expand this to 4 MW in time.

Sitting down to speak to Newsbase recently in the Taiwanese capital, Karen Chen, adviser to the Taiwan Geothermal Association (TGA) promotes the geothermal industry in Taiwan and also the Citizen’s Association for Public Policy Taiwan (CAPPT) with a mission to “look at policies and laws to accommodate a better environment on energy transition and waste management” she says.

Asked which challenges the energy transition in particular faces in Taiwan, Chen responds “many” following up with “right now we – Taiwan – are still about 97% dependent on imported energy sources, so it's not just a carbon reduction issue. It is also a national security issue. But when you look at what Taiwan has, we only have a few choices including solar and wind-power, but only two-fifths of the island is inhabitable so we don’t have too much space, and because of that we don’t have enough space to install wind or solar facilities. Even in the Taiwan Strait we have limited space to install offshore wind.”

As a result of this evident leaning to geothermal on the part of Chen and her organisation as well as others, the 2025 Taiwan International Geothermal Conference took place in late April, albeit somewhat ironically in the HQ of CPC – Taiwan’s state-owned petroleum, gas and gasoline company.

Hosted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), geothermal experts from Canada, New Zealand, Iceland and the US among others were joined by local Taiwanese experts and government representatives to discuss the nation’s potential for the future development of its geothermal energy sector.

Hot island

“Geothermal is what Taiwan has” Chen says. “Taiwan is a hot island, as the country was actually formed as a result of two tectonic plates coming together. We have over 200 mountains over 3,000m” she points out.

“We also have over 20 volcanoes in the northern part of Taiwan, (around the capital) with more in the northern offshore area. This is why we keep advocating that this whole northeast grid area can have geothermal plants.”

She adds that the northeast region around Keelung – one of Asia’s leading transit cargo ports and home to around 400,000 locals – “could have 10 or 20 geothermal plants distributed across the region. It is much better for security and much better for stability of operations.”

The Taiwanese landmass Chen continues “is sitting on a very good situation in the north, and when you go down south or on the east side” of the country “it is also very rich in geothermal resources.”

A part of Taiwan sparsely populated, the eastern counties of Yilan and Hualien border the Pacific Ocean. Much of Taiwan’s 24mn population live on the flat plains of the west coast which, unbeknownst to most Taiwanese, also comes with a degree of geothermal potential.

On the west coast Chen says “even though it is sedimentary rock, if you go deeper” the potential is there.

Asked whether the ruling government is currently supportive of the installation of geothermal technology and plants, she answers somewhat half-heartedly saying that “they are supportive in a way that they are really making some progress in declaring grand plans of 1.2 GW of geothermal capacity by 2030 and 6 GW by 2050, but still 2050 is far off.”

Collaboration

More upbeat, she says that Taiwan could reach this number “10 or 20 years earlier.” Taiwan is still a developing nation in terms of its overall geothermal installations; something she refers to as Taiwan being a place suitable for everyone to come and invest in, or work with local authorities in the hope that there will be “more collaboration than competition.” It was a concept repeated frequently at the official MOEA event a week prior.

“Everyone interested in geothermal and with stakes in developing geothermal in Taiwan can find their own patch” in Taiwan, Chen claims.

Questioned on whether or not there is a danger that western countries more advanced in geothermal usage could thus see Taiwan as a target for sub-surface exploitation, she laughed and said: “I don’t mind. We need green energy and there will be monitoring systems to prevent environmental issues."

Many Taiwan watchers, and energy sector analysts in particular, are already aware that this is what marked the early days of offshore wind development in the country – a sector now hurting as western companies leave having fallen foul of what has been termed by some as overbearing local influence on the industry.

Taking a more proactive approach to her own subsurface focus, however, Chen continues that “geothermal is in a good position to learn from all the past experiences, good or bad.”

At present she states: “we are trying to advocate for a smoother transition for geothermal power to take root in Taiwan but for now”, even with the many various applications of geothermal, “the main focus is still in power generation because we do need a lot of renewable energy and we do need domestic sources of renewable energy. But after power generation, especially in eastern Taiwan, there could be other applications of geothermal.”

For now though the most pressing need from geothermal sources all over – and under – Taiwan, is power.

Living alongside a neighbour that has repeatedly made aggressive overtures claiming the Taiwanese islands to be a part of China, Beijing could at any time attempt to impose a sea blockade around the island. That would immediately stop any LNG cargoes from reaching Taiwanese ports. In no way, shape or form, though, could a self-contained geothermal-powered grid ever fall victim to Chinese efforts to cut Taiwan off from the rest of the world. It is a concept not lost on those in power.

And with this as a daily backdrop on life in modern Taiwan, it is in the political and economic heart of the north of the country that Chen sees the most immediate opportunities for geothermal capacity due to existing grid lines with “at least 6 GW of spare grid capacity” that currently lie idle following policies to close down other power plants in the area, and Taiwan’s May 17 cessation of nuclear power generation.

Taiwan, as so many said in late April at the 2025 Taiwan International Geothermal Conference, is literally sitting atop the solution to so many of its energy issues. It just has to drill.