The United Kingdom and Taiwan celebrated two decades of collaboration in renewable energy during the 7th UK–Taiwan Energy Dialogue and the 20th Taiwan–UK Renewable Energy Roundtable, held in London on 26 November 2025. Senior officials, technical experts, and industry leaders from both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and reaffirmed the importance of sustained coordination on renewable energy deployment, grid resilience, and energy innovation.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
Opening the Dialogue, Vincent Chin‑hsiang Yao, Taiwan’s Representative to the UK, and Lord Faulkner of Worcester, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Taiwan, underscored the strategic importance of energy cooperation.
Lee Chun‑li, Director General of Taiwan’s Energy Administration (MOEA), highlighted progress under the Taiwan–UK Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP), including the “Energy and Net Zero” pillar signed earlier this year. Simon Payne, Head of International Bilateral & Capability at the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, reaffirmed the UK’s ambition to become a clean energy superpower, including delivering a fully decarbonised power system by 2030 and supporting supply‑chain development through an active industrial strategy.
Dialogue Themes
Section I – Offshore Wind Policy
UK officials, including Aidan Campbell, provided a comprehensive update on fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind deployment, including reforms to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, investment in grid and port infrastructure, and the role of the Crown Estate in site leasing. The UK stressed its strategy to accelerate floating offshore wind through innovation and supply-chain development.
Taiwan’s Cheng Ju‑ming outlined its three-phase offshore wind development programme, which has positioned the island among global leaders in annual offshore wind installation. Delegates discussed technical challenges such as geotechnical conditions, typhoon resilience, and local supply chain capacity, as well as the transition toward deep-water floating wind. Both sides exchanged views on foundation types, deployment depths, and standardisation of floating technologies to ensure cost efficiency and safety.
Section II – Project Finance and Bankability
Shen Tien‑chun, from Taiwan’s National Credit Guarantee Administration, explained its role in providing guarantees for green energy projects and enabling local financial institutions to participate in project finance. Key challenges identified included capital requirements, Taiwan-dollar liquidity constraints, Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) market maturity, and risk appetite among domestic banks.
Jack Hebb, UK Export Finance (UKEF), shared insights into export credit agency cooperation, the evolution of offshore wind financing, and opportunities for blended finance models. Shyam Desai, British Office Taipei Economic Section Head, presented findings from a Carbon Trust study aimed at improving Taiwan’s financing environment. Both sides agreed that long-term policy stability, diversified financing tools, and greater involvement from domestic banks are essential to sustain sector growth.
Section III – Marine Spatial Planning
Chloe Meacher from the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) introduced its marine spatial prioritisation methodology, designed to address the growing “spatial squeeze” in crowded waters and balance competing interests such as energy, environmental protection, defence, shipping, and fisheries. Chen Wei‑te, from Taiwan’s Metal Industries Research & Development Centre presented its maritime zoning framework and plans for multi-use demonstration projects to support next-generation offshore wind development. Both sides expressed interest in continued technical exchanges on planning methodologies and environmental management.
Roundtable Highlights
The 20th Taiwan–UK Renewable Energy Roundtable featured sessions on port planning, emerging marine energy technologies, and smart grid integration, with contributions from Sandra Li, Liu Tzu‑yar, Chung Cheng‑hsien, Sam Strivens, Ho Ping‑heng, and Peter Weston.
The Roundtable also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Taiwan’s Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) and the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult) to deepen technical collaboration.
Looking Ahead
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation across policy, financing, technology, and marine planning, recognising the Dialogue’s role in clean-energy deployment, industrial development, and energy security. Taiwan will host the 8th UK–Taiwan Energy Dialogue in 2026, marking another milestone in this enduring partnership.
