NTU-KU Joint Funding
Final Report

Section 1

NTU principle investigator
Name (last name, first name)
Position
Faculty/Department

Lin, Tze-Luen
Associate Professor
Political Science

KU principle investigator
Name (last name, first name)
Position
Faculty/Department
Visiting ECR*
Name (last name, first name)
Position
Faculty/Department

Mori, Akihisa
Associate Professor
Global Environmental Studies
Lee, Yi-Ching
PhD
Political Science*Please complete this section if the KU principal investigators hosted ECRs from NTU.

Host researcher*
Name (last name, first name)
Position
Faculty/Department*Please complete this section if the host researcher is different from the KU principal
investigator.
Section 2

Project title
Geopolitical and geopolitical implications ofsustainable energy transition: The case ofTaiwan (and Japan)

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Section 3

Period of project
From dd/mm/yy
to dd/mm/yy

01/04/2022~31/12/2022

Section 4

Summary of the project (approx. 100 words)*KU PIs are required to submit a summary of the project in Japanese in addition to theEnglish summary (approx. 200–300 characters).
(Please enter the summary of the project)
The Paris Climate Agreement and pledges to the net-zero emission targets have accelerated
electricity system transitions from fossil fuel-based toward renewable energy sourced-system. The
transitions favor renewable energy and grid technology exporting countries such as the PRC at thecost of fossil fuel exporting countries such as Russia and the Middle East and increase energy
dependence of energy importing countries on renewable energy and grid technology exporting
countries. The extent depends on how importing countries reconfigure electricity systems. Energy
dependence becomes significant in countries that import most of the renewable energy and gridtechnologies and increases connectivity through super grids. Conversely, the dependence can bekept marginal in those enhancing the distributed smart grid system. Alternatively, countries may
choose the flexible grid paradigm that is located between the two extremes. The flexible paradigm
offers easier transition options because it accepts flexible and dispatchable fossil fuel generation
capacity such as gas power to stabilize grid systems.
Against this backdrop, we explore which grid paradigm Japan and Taiwan adopt to advance
electricity system transitions, to what extent, and why. We employ the elements ofcomplementarity in electricity systems (Mori, 2020; 2022) to explore the co-evolution between
power generation and grid systems. Then we make a document analysis and conduct interviews
to explore how incumbent vertically-integrated and (regionally) monopolized power companies
resist and adapt to the transitions in the grid system.

Section 5 (Please complete this section if ECRs from NTU participated in collaborative research at KU)

Achievements and Outcomes of ECRs’ Stay (approx. 100–250 words)*This section should be filled by each of the ECR(s) (one paragraph per ECR) based on
his/her experience of staying in Japan.
(Please enter the achievements and outcomes for each of the ECR(s).)
During the 10 days-visit to Kyoto, in addition to giving a lecture at Kyoto University, Dr. YiChing Lee also completed three meetings and discussions on the topic of sustainable energy
transition with the assistance of Kyoto University:
1) At first, the meeting with Prof. Dr. Kiyoshi Nishimura, the senior researcher of Kansai
Electric Power Company (KEPCO), was regarding the challenges of Japanese electricity
industry for carbon neutrality, especially in grid management and the development of virtual
power plant (VPP) for the local flexibility.
2) On the other hand, the online-meeting with Dr. Mitsuhiko Aoyama, Japan ResearchInstitute (JRI), was regarding the role of local governments as retailers in the Japaneserenewable electricity market, including the factors affecting their retail businesses.
3) Also, the meeting with Prof. Gregory Trencher, the associate professor from Kyoto
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University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, was focused on the challengesof coal phase-out tasks and the development of green hydrogen in Japan.
In the lecture entitled "On the road to net zero: Taiwan response" at the Sustainable Transition
Seminar in Kyoto University, Dr. Lee gave an overview of global discussion about “Net-Zero(emission) Transition” and the policy responses of Taiwan Government in this context. Dr. Leealso highlighted the city and local perspective with examples on how the local government andcommunity in Taiwan concern and response to this issue.

Section 6Photographs with captions*Please submit digital files (such as JPEG or GIF files) of the photographs used in yourreport as attachments. The size of each image should be at least 4MB, so that it can be used
for printed materials. Please ensure that none of the photographs submitted will cause any
issues relating to portrait rights.

2022.11.02 Prof. Akihisa MORI - The Net Zero Carbon Strategy in Japan: Policy andBusiness Responses (speech at National Taiwan University)

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2022.11.02 Sophia Cheng (Chief Investment Officer, Cathay Financial Holdings)(國泰金融控股股份有限公司程淑芬投資長) interact with Prof. Akihisa MORI.

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2022.11.02 Group photo - International Seminar on Global Environment and Sustainable
GovernanceURL at which project outcomes can be viewed (Optional)*E.g. workshop notifications/programs/reports, evidence of academic papers published orotherwise made available, etc.
2022.11.02
International Seminar on Global Environment and Sustainable Governance:
Prof. Akihisa MORI /“The Net Zero Carbon Strategy in Japan: Policy and Business Responses”
URL:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=484266590394803&set=a.457970406357755&locale=z
h_TW

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2022.11 Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES), Kyoto University,
Kyoto

2022.11 Kansai Electric Power Company ‘enellege’, Osaka

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2022.11 Contact Infos of Interviewees (Units)2022.11.17

Sustainability Transitions Seminar #22:
Dr. Yi-Ching Lee /“On the Road to Net-Zero: Taiwan Response”

URL at which project outcomes can be viewed (Optional)
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NTU-KU Joint Funding Final Report*E.g. workshop notifications/programs/reports, evidence of academic papers published orotherwise made available, etc.
2022.11.17
Sustainability Transitions Seminar #22:
Dr. Yi-Ching Lee /“On the Road to Net-Zero: Taiwan Response” (workshop notifications)
URL: https://rurss.iae.kyoto-u.ac.jp/files/RURSS_R4_MTG04.pdf

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