Taoyuan Government Vows to Challenge MOEA over SRF Plant Permit Decision.

Taoyuan: The Taoyuan City government announced on Thursday its intention to continue challenging a ruling by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) that nullified the city's denial of permits for three solid recovered fuel (SRF) plants. According to Focus Taiwan, the city government criticized the economics ministry for not supporting the residents of Taoyuan and indicated that it would consider further legal actions. This announcement follows a decision by the MOEA Petitions and Appeals Committee, which stated that the ministry's withdrawal of nonbinding recommendation letters should not obstruct the construction of SRF plants by Cleanaway Co. Ltd., Taiwan Cube Energy Co. Ltd., and Li Jiang Development Co. In March, the Taoyuan City government had revoked its approval for the SRF plants, asserting that the letters of recommendation were essential. Initially, the city had agreed to an exemption for the SRF projects, which did not comply with Taoyuan Science and Technology Park regulations, based on the min istry's letters and in line with the national renewable energy policy. Following local protests in November 2023, the MOEA rescinded the recommendation letters, prompting Mayor Chang San-cheng to cancel the local permits for the three companies, citing incomplete application procedures without the letters. Cleanaway contested this decision, and on June 6, the MOEA declared that the advisory letters did not legally justify Taoyuan's revocation of SRF permits. Despite this, Taoyuan rejected the SRF plant applications again on August 8, leading the companies to file another appeal with the MOEA. The ministry reiterated on Wednesday that there is currently no legal foundation for the Taoyuan City government to deny the SRF plant applications. SRF is a type of fuel created by processing commercial waste such as paper, plastics, textiles, and wood, offering a way to convert potentially landfill-bound resources into energy. Proponents argue that SRFs produce fewer emissions than coal for electricity generation, t hough critics warn of potential pollution and reduced recycling incentives.