Environmental Justice and Power Dynamics in Taiwan’s Energy Transition

As the 2050 net-zero target approaches, the global shift to renewable energy is accelerating, bringing challenges such as land use conflicts, job displacement, and the unequal distribution of benefits. Taiwan aims to source 20% of its energy from renewables by 2025, requiring large-scale solar and wind projects that impact agriculture, forests, fisheries, and coastal areas. However, a critical gap remains in understanding how power dynamics shape stakeholder engagement and influence the equity and socio-political outcomes of renewable energy projects. The concentration of decision-making power among energy companies and government bodies limits meaningful participation by local communities, particularly non-landowning farmers and fishers. This exclusion creates unequal distribution of benefits and burdens of renewable energy projects, worsening social inequities. This study applies energy and environmental justice frameworks to agrivoltaics conflicts, aquavoltaics in fish farming areas, and offshore wind projects, exploring the balance between Taiwan’s energy independence and socio-environmental impacts. Data analysis builds on content analysis of government policies, Environmental Impact Assessment reports, public statements, and 24 semi-structured interviews with officials, corporate representatives, NGOs, and community members. Preliminary findings show that power imbalances hinder farmers, especially non-landowners, from meaningful participation in agrivoltaics. Despite government’s efforts to promote public engagement since 2017, energy companies and government bodies still dominate decision-making, leaving limited room for local voices. Unions and fishery associations monopolize representation, overshadowing individual farmers. NGOs and coalitions do empower local stakeholders, but their efforts remain insufficient in addressing these structural imbalances. These findings suggest Taiwan continues to face challenges in achieving distributional, procedural, and recognitional energy justice. Agrivoltaics disproportionately burden non-landowning farmers, while offshore wind projects, though experiencing less resistance, still struggle with high-quality engagement around changing access to marine resources. Despite government recognition of the need for more inclusive policies, further efforts are required to align these policies with energy justice principles.