Sihuangziping geothermal plant in Taiwan set to start commercial operations

The Sihuangziping pilot geothermal power plant in Jinshan District, New Taipei City, Taiwan (source: New Taipei City Government)

Editor’s note: The Sihuangziping geothermal power project is also referred to in other sources as the Liuhangziping geothermal power project.

Following the proclamation that the 1-MW Sihuangziping pilot geothermal power plant was set to be operational by October 2023, preparations are now underway for the facility’s commercial operations. The power plant is now connected to the electricity grid of the Jinshan District in New Taipei City. The power plant can generate enough electricity to supply 1500 four-person households for a year.

There are also plans to proceed with the construction of a second geothermal power plant to bring the installed capacity in Sihuangziping up to 40 MW. Construction is expected to started by the end of the year.

The Sihuangziping geothermal power plant will be drawing energy from the heat of the Datun (Tatun) volcanoes. It is considered the first geothermal power plant in Taiwan hosted by a magmatic-volcanic heat source. New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan mentioned that the high-temperature geothermal reservoir under the Datun (Tatun) group of volcanoes accounts for 70% of the country’s shallow geothermal energy resources.

Ho Yi-ming, head of the city government’s Economic Development Department, mentioned that geothermal exploration in the Datun Volcano Group had started as far back as 1966. Development of the project was postponed in the early years because of issues with corrosion brought about by the acidic nature of the geothermal fluids in the region.

Fabulous Power Co. introduced the latest global technologies to mitigate the effects of the acidic fluids, including dry-steam power generators.

In contrast, the 4.2-MW Qingshui geothermal power plant in Yilan County is hosted by an extensional domain type volcano, while the 0.5-MW Jinlun geothermal plant in Taitung County is hosted by an orogenic belt/foreland basin-type volcano. The classification of the types of geothermal sources in Taiwan is based on an article published by geology professor Song Sheng-rong from the National Taiwan University in 2021.

Source: Focus Taiwan and New Taipei City Government via Twitter