Taiwan Community Fights Back: Residents Fear Solar Panel Encirclement

A Green Oasis Under Threat: Tainan Residents Clash with Solar Project Plans.

Residents of the Da Di Zhuangyuan community in Tainan, Taiwan, are up in arms against a proposed solar panel project that threatens to surround their homes. The community, home to approximately 500 households, is concerned about the planned installation of solar panels on nearly 100 hectares of nearby fish ponds, which they believe will significantly alter their living environment.

The community's concerns revolve around the potential impact on their "green architecture" community. The Da Di Zhuangyuan was designed as the first of its kind in southern Taiwan, with underground power lines, extensive landscaping, and hundreds of mahogany trees. Residents fear that the solar project will essentially enclose their community, transforming their green haven into something entirely different.

Legislator Chen Ting-fei of the Democratic Progressive Party raised the issue in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, questioning Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Chih-hui and urging respect for local sentiment. Kuo Chih-hui responded that the Ministry of Economic Affairs would only proceed with the project if the residents consented.