CTCI Successfully Developed Taiwan’s First Commercial Port Rooftop Solar Power System—Taiwan International Ports Corporation’s Solar Power Plant Development Project

— Chao, Ching-Her, Executive Vice President, ECOVE Solar Energy Corporation, Group Resource Cycling Business

The project is based in Kaohsiung Port Area. The Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan International Ports Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Port of Kaohsiung), replaces self-investment costs with a roof rental model in port areas such as Penglai, Zhongdao, Qianzhen Commercial Port, and the Fourth Container Centre. ECOVE Solar Energy Corporation (Abbreviation:ECOVE SEC) invested in the construction of a solar photovoltaic system with a 20-year contract for operation and maintenance. It has successfully installed the first of complete solar power equipment on the roof of Taiwan's commercial ports. The clean renewable energy produced, in addition to optimizing the energy structure of the port area, will meet the Ports Corporation green port policy objective, while fetching the Port of Kaohsiung revenue from electricity sales to maximize its earnings, killing two birds with a single stone.

In 2018, the owner of Port of Kaohsiung awarded the project the "Golden Boat Award-Special Contribution Award" for its excellent execution, fully affirming the significant contribution ECOVE ESC has made to the operational performance of the commercial port. The Port also commended the project in its 2018 Environmental Report. The European Seas Ports Organization granted it the EcoPorts Certification after re-evaluation; it also commended the project's solar power system as one of only two best practice examples. ECOVE ESC's energy investment project was awarded not only in Taiwan but global bodies also commended it. 

Pleased with the successful execution of the solar power project in Kaohsiung Port Area, the Taiwan International Ports Corporation has started promoting it to all major commercial ports in Taiwan from the beginning of 2019. It also invited tenders by including the idle roof space of the seven ports on the island in the scope of the tender. With the group resources and proven track record of timely execution of projects, it won the approval of judges and succeeded in obtaining the developmental rights reaffirming CTCI’s credibility and trustworthiness.

Because of the excellent execution of the project, the ECOVE ESC was awarded the "Golden Boat Award-Special Contribution Award" by the owners of Port of Kaohsiung.

In solar power systems industry, ECOVE ESC has wide experience in three major areas: roof, ground and water fields. ECOVE ESC has won praise from various industries for its reliable engineering quality. In the process, ECOVE ESC has made Port Corporation's "Green Port" policy as a top priority. Its rich technical experience, precise project execution capability, excellent construction quality, sound financial planning, and determination for continuously expanding the investment scale of solar power plants helped ECOVE ESC project proposal win the appreciation of Port of Kaohsiung and for juries to award the bid to it.

Kaohsiung Port Zhongdao District 34 Transit Shed.

Reliable Realized

Professional project management, mastery in efficiency and delivery on schedule

While implementing the project, it took into consideration the construction activities in the port area, the inconsistent size and age of buildings as also of a sizable number of unlicensed older buildings. The ECOVE ESC executive team and the Port of Kaohsiung worked together on a phased development approach and succeeded in executing the project on schedule. The development was carried out in stages and was fully completed as planned by February 2019.

As per the phased development plan, the first phase was to implement the project on buildings with strong roof and license, followed by areas after roof renovation with the simultaneous application for licensed use on other buildings. Since the construction began in the second half of 2015 and after four years of execution, the work at Penglai Commercial Port Area (2016), Zhongdao Commercial Port Area (2016), Fourth Container Center (2017), and QianZhen Commercial Port Area (2017) have been completed. The third and fourth container centers (2019) were operated parallelly.

Using the current installed capacity of 5.2MWp, a total of 130 million kWh of solar power is likely to be generated over the next 20 years with an estimated 20-year carbon reduction of roughly 69,000 metric tons, which will contribute to reducing global greenhouse gas and emissions, and mitigate global warming condition.

Technical Matters

The new look of the port area integrating into the environment and shaping the green port

Kaohsiung Port 37-1 Transit Shed's blue solar power panels are integrated into the port's water and sky environment.

The project's photovoltaic system was built on the roof of buildings in the port area, and its plate blends with the blue sea and the sky landscape. This light-to-deep gradient of blue is designed to make it look natural and appealing to the eye. The panels also blend in with the coastal skyline of famous Kaohsiung landmarks, such as the 85 building, the Kaohsiung Exhibition Hall and the Starlight Waterfront Park, presenting a unified image of a new-age green port. It has become a highlight of the Kaohsiung Port Area and is of great help to the Kaohsiung City Government and the Port Company in marketing the city and to promote tourism. 

Smarter Engineering

Customized construction methods for variety types of roof

To traverse through variety and shabby types of roof structures in the port area, the project adapted specified construction method depending upon the type of roof. It has taken into account details, such as the roof's load-bearing capacity, originally intended functionality, such as lighting, ventilation, and smoke exhaustion, and wind resistance strength level. Three different types of construction methods, concrete cement hook, clamp fixture, and penetration were adopted according to the type of roof, and 6-8 locking points brackets have been used to improve the joiot strength of each module, the support frame and photoelectric panels for overall safety. 

In addition, considering the roof and sunlight orientation in the port area, the solar power panel system is equipped with a high-steering method on the south-facing panels. With appropriate angles, the panels can improve power generation efficiency, while avoiding direct sunlight on the roof. This can increase the age of the solar panels and reduce the frequency of roof replacement and other long-term operational costs. Due to the high salt and high humidity environment surrounding the port area, the solar power system's related equipment was built with specialized materials resistant to salt and corrosion and to extend the service life of the equipment.

"Solar power generation is a clean energy source which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution caused by traditional power- generating methods. It also has additional functions such as resolving peak load, emergency disaster prevention power, independent power supply in remote areas, etc. This project area consisted mostly of old buildings. Ensuring the safety of the building structure and long-term stability during the construction process were the top priority. It is also the main reason why the Port Corporation chose CTCI. CTCI SEC was responsible for the third phase of the project which generated parallel power from November 2018 to February 2019. Throughout the process, the company complied with the Group SOP, maintained cordial relations with the owner and customers, which helped ECOVE ESC to complete the project on schedule, thus proving CTCI's quality and construction process is indeed trustworthy!"
--CTCI SEC Executive Vice President, Guo, An-Cheng