On the 5th, the Environmental Protection Bureau of the Kaohsiung City Government held the “Energy Kaohsiung: The Key Engine Toward Net Zero” Workshop at the Net Zero Institute. Centered on the core themes of net-zero transition and energy resilience, the event opened with Mayor Chen Chi-mai presenting Kaohsiung’s strategies for net-zero development and energy governance. Industry leaders from Taipower, CPC Corporation, China Steel Corporation (CSC), and TSMC also shared their respective transformation cases, addressing key issues such as power supply stability, natural gas infrastructure, and energy resource integration.

Mayor Chen Chi-mai, in his keynote titled “Urban Strategies for Net Zero in Kaohsiung”, outlined a series of policy tools deployed in recent years — including the Net Zero Self-Governance Ordinance, carbon budgeting, and the establishment of the Net Zero Institute. On the energy front, he emphasized a strategy of “coal reduction, gas increase, and renewable expansion”, highlighting key achievements such as surpassing 1.4 GW of solar power and reducing coal consumption by 30% over three years. Under the upcoming carbon fee system, the city has been actively engaging with industries to build consensus on emission reduction. For example, all 15 coal-fired cogeneration boilers in the city have already submitted decarbonization plans. Additionally, various departments across the city government are implementing carbon offset initiatives including carbon-neutral wastewater treatment plants and biomass energy projects — totaling ten carbon credit programs in all.

Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng discussed the challenges posed by increasing electricity demand and climate change impacts on grid stability, noting that 90% of emissions are energy-related. He detailed the company’s ongoing work on natural gas plant construction and grid resilience projects.

CPC Chairman Fang Jeng-zen focused on supporting the coal-to-gas transition, presenting the roles of Yong an and Intercontinental LNG terminals in backing Kaohsiung’s cogeneration decarbonization efforts.

Representing the steel industry, CSC General Manager Chen Shou-tao noted that China Steel accounts for over 30% of Kaohsiung’s total emissions. He shared results from years of energy resource integration, including 306,000 tons of coal reduction through cogeneration upgrades, along with innovations such as digital temperature control for reheating furnaces, energy-efficient annealing, and top gas recovery power generation.

TSMC Deputy Director Tseng Hui-hsin introduced the company’s green manufacturing strategies, including its RE100 commitment by 2040, the development of zero-waste manufacturing centers, and next-generation energy-saving equipment projects. She also expressed TSMC’s intent to explore collaborative opportunities with Kaohsiung’s heavy industry sectors to drive deeper carbon reduction efforts.

The workshop brought together leaders from Taiwan’s four core industrial sectors — power, petrochemicals, steel, and semiconductors — all of which are based in Kaohsiung, making the event highly representative of the nation’s net-zero transformation landscape.

The Environmental Protection Bureau emphasized that, as Taiwan’s major manufacturing hub, Kaohsiung is responsible for one-fifth of the country’s total emissions. With this in mind, the city is committed to proactively working with industries to build a livable and sustainable net-zero model city.