Taiwan and Australia yesterday discussed opportunities for bilateral cooperation on clean energy, including on the development of hydrogen-based technologies, and agreed to expand their trade and investment efforts in such fields.
The talks, held as part of the bilateral Hydrogen Trade and Investment Dialogue, also included strategies for increasing renewable energy, said the Australian Office in Taipei, which hosted the videoconference.
In the past few years, cooperation between Taiwan and Australia has expanded to offshore wind energy, and Taiwan plans to make a greater push for partnerships with other nations on the application and development of hydrogen energy, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) told the forum.
Photo courtesy of the Australian Office Taipei
Describing Taiwan and Australia as “important partners in energy,” Wang said that 27 percent of Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas and 70 percent of its coal comes from Australia.
The partnership does not end with traditional energy resources, Wang said.
“Taiwan’s first offshore wind farm was built in collaboration with Australia’s Macquarie Group,” she said. “We hope to keep working together as Taiwan increases its renewable energy efforts.”
Australia is an important exporter of energy, minerals and agricultural products to Taiwan, while Taiwan exports high-tech products to Australia.
Over the past five years, trade has grown at an average of 10 percent per year, while bilateral investment has grown at an average of 13 percent per year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
Australia is Taiwan’s largest source for energy-related products, and Taiwan is Australia’s fourth-largest market for energy.
However, as the countries try to decarbonize, the talks also centered around trade and investment cooperation, including in wind and solar power, and in “emerging low-emission technologies such as hydrogen,” the Australian Office said in a statement.
The Australian delegation at the forum was led by Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan and Special Adviser on Low Emissions Technology Alan Finkel, who gave the keynote address at the event on the challenges and opportunities of hydrogen.
“Australia and Taiwan are natural energy partners and are in a strong position to maximize these opportunities, as the world moves toward a net-zero emissions future,” the office said.
The dialogue is a continuation of the Joint Energy and Minerals, Trade and Investment Cooperation consultations, with the common goal of fostering a multilevel relationship between Taiwan and Australia in energy, the ministry said.
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