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Eco-Industrial Parks Launch in Taiwan
Original article published in the newsletter of EIEAsia, 2003
Author: Bruce K. Chung
The first EIP demo action plan by EPA-Taiwan were approved by The Executive Yuan Council of Economic Planning and Development last autumn. The EPA-Taiwan official named this new plan as the Environmental Technology Park Development Plan. Many county and city governments were evaluated to become the homes of zones which will cover a combined area of approximately 100 hectares. The officials wish to bring 60 environmental enterprises and 150 research enterprises and organizations to these zones and attract NT$15 billion in private investment. Six major categories are permitted for firms and organizations including:
1.) Enterprises developing or using cleaner production technology
2.) Enterprises developing recycling technology or manufacturing products from recycled materials
3.) Enterprises developing new resource technology and products
4.) Enterprises from clean or renewable energy industries
5.) Enterprises providing equipment, key technology, and parts that help industry resolve its environmental problems
6.) Environmental enterprises listed in emerging strategic enterprises by the government
The plan offers R&D; subsidies, up to NT$5 million annually for startup R&D; and up to NT$10 million annually for R&D; applied in production. Enterprises in these zones will also be permitted to utilize the “Statute for Upgrading Industries” to obtain tax deductions.
The plan originally called for setting up three parks, one each in northern, central, and southern Taiwan, over the next ten years. The officials stated that priority to grant to the establishment of environmental technology parks in existing industrial parks for serious idle land problem troubling Taiwan. However, there were two places chosen finally as demo sites in 2003. The first one located in an existing industrial park in Kaohsiung county, the most heavy industrial development area in Taiwan. For the aggressive attempt shown on the team from Hualien County Gov’t , The Hualien County, the most clean and charming sightseeing wonderland in eastern Taiwan, was chosen as the other demo site instead. Base on this, there will be two different compared approaches and model towards EIP dream. We are looking forwards to seeing the harvest in Taiwan. Furthermore, Hualien county would like to show the greatest intention to welcome international enterprise and planning teams to join the forthcoming projects. (Here is a photo shoot above the Hualien’s clean sky.)