Keeping the Earth Sustainable: On Our Way to Net Zero Emissions

Jun-Jer Liao, CEO of Group Resource Cycling Business at CTCI

The extreme weather patterns caused by climate change has brought strong impact worldwide. There is a strong economic case for business transformation to net zero emissions because it is now about whether a company can remain competitive. Globally we see the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is due to become effective from 2026. Under CBAM, import of goods into the EU that have “large carbon footprints” will be restricted. A carbon tariff will also be placed on goods. Trading partners with the EU will be required to bear the carbon cost. In Taiwan, the National Development Council officially rolled out Taiwan’s net zero strategies and policies this year by announcing “Taiwan’s Pathway to Net Zero Emissions in 2050.” On the corporate side, we see many key global companies require their suppliers to reduce emissions. “Net zero emissions” is more than a slogan. It is now an issue that industries need to pay attention to and take action on.

At CTCI, we see ourselves as a “guardian of the Earth’s sustainability.” We are committed to fulfilling our sustainability vision with core competencies. Through green technologies, green contracting, and green investment— the three aspects of our “green engineering”— we offer clients environmental and energy-saving solutions that are economical and viable throughout the entire lifecycle of a project— from design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and decommissioning.

As an affiliate company of CTCI Group and a part of CTCI’s Group Resource Cycling Business, ECOVE is mainly focused on green investment. In line with the trend for net zero emissions, ECOVE has created solid strategies and taken actions to fulfill two targets: net zero emissions at the headquarters and offices by 2030, and net zero emissions at all production sites by 2050. 

ECOVE’s three primary businesses are related to the circular economy, which include “operation & maintenance (O&M) for energy-from-waste (EfW) plants and electromechanical facilities, recycle and reuse, and renewable energy.” ECOVE not only continues to seek improvement and reduce its own emissions, but also strives to help clients at home and abroad meet their emissions reduction targets, so as to move a step closer to the net zero vision.

Government’s Green, Low-Carbon Homeland Vision Comes True, Thanks to ECOVE’s O&M Services for EfW Plants and Electromechanical Facilities

ECOVE is a leading environmental services company with over 20 years of O&M experience in handling “EfW plants and electromechanical facilities.” For a long time, ECOVE is committed to integrating and applying the latest technologies related to waste treatment and energy generation, and turning waste into reusable resources. Each year, ECOVE turns more than 2.5 million tons of waste into electricity through EfW plants, which is equivalent to saving about 550,000 tons of fossil fuel for power generation. This type of renewable energy helps alleviate the problem of ever-increasing waste, and allows cities to become less dependent on fossil fuels. ECOVE will continue to improve the power generating efficiency of EfW plants, so that more renewable power can be generated, and cities can therefore become energy self-sufficient.

Since most EfW plants in Taiwan are approaching the end of their lifetime, ECOVE is actively engaging in the government’s “diversified waste treatment program” by applying its expertise and experience to help upgrade ageing EfW plants. Chenxi EfW Plant in Tainan, which has been in operation for 21 years, is a successful example showing how technologies can be integrated to effectively save water and increase energy efficiency. ECOVE created an upgrade strategy by setting three goals: ensure original incineration capacity, improve energy efficiency, and enhance pollution prevention. After upgrade, the waste treatment capacity has nearly returned to the original design capacity. Each year, power generated has increased by more than 20%; nitrogen oxides have decreased by over 10 tons; and over 200,000 tons of water have been saved. Thanks to the remarkable result, ECOVE was given the “Water Resources Agency’s High Distinction Award for Water Saving Achievements.”

This year, ECOVE has won a waste-treatment land tender from the Industrial Development Bureau. The land is located in Changhua Coastal Industrial Area’s Lunwei West Zone II. ECOVE is going to build a low-carbon, resource cycling center that can provides one-stop services, from waste cleaning, incineration, landfill, to final disposal. The center will also adopt a landfill design that is environmental-friendly, free from odor, dust, and wastewater.

In terms of the electromechanical O&M business, ECOVE is no longer just an expert in electromechanical integration for EfW plants. It has now seen successes in the transportation sector, such as completing the jet bridge O&M project at Terminal 1, Taoyuan Airport. The Company has also leveraged the synergy from CTCI Group and won O&M projects for utilities at high-tech plants, providing satisfactory services to clients.

Recycle and Reuse: Helping Businesses Come a Step Closer to Zero Waste

For businesses to become truly green, not only do they have to reduce energy consumption facility-wise and operation-wise, they also need to move towards a “low-carbon production” model by recycling and reusing resources. ECOVE is helping businesses cut down their emissions at later stages with ECOVE’s integrative recycling and reuse technologies. Take waste solvent reuse services as example, ECOVE selects vapor permeation membrane facility that consumes little energy, is highly efficient, takes up minimal space, is easy to build and maintain, can be fully automatized, and has no unnecessary additives. Waste solvent is transformed into value-added, new products that can be reused and fed back into the industrial process loop. ECOVE can provide all-encompassing carbon reduction services. In terms of waste solvent treatment and reuse, ECOVE provides system planning, design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance, waste disposal, and sales services. Companies that ECOVE can serve and help with low-carbon waste disposal and reuse include those from the chemical, additive manufacturing, electronics, LCD panels, semiconductor packaging, and other chip industries. If companies wish to move towards the goals of circular economy, zero waste, and circular application of resources, ECOVE is the right company to approach.

ECOVE is also an experienced O&M operator for sewage treatment facilities. In 2021, ECOVE has turned 27 million tons of dirty water that flow through the three sewage treatment plants that it operates— Linkou Water Resources Center, New Taipei City’s Gravel & Sewer Facilities, and the sewage processing plant in Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park—into clean water. ECOVE will also become the O&M operator for the semiconductor industry’s first industrial wastewater reclamation plant that has just begun operations in September— the TSMC Southern Taiwan Science Park Water Reclamation Plant. This is truly a landmark in terms of water reuse globally. The plant is designed, built, owned, and will be operated by CTCI Group, whose track record in water reclamation plant projects recently include Fengshan River Water Reclamation Plant and Linhai Water Reclamation Plant. 

Making Contribution to Energy Transformation by Increasing Renewable Power Generation

The current trend in the power industry is to replace conventional power with renewables, and support power dispatch with energy storage systems. Solar power system development, installation, and O&M is another realm ECOVE has been focusing. ECOVE has plenty of track record both at home and abroad in the investment, development, construction, and operation for solar power plants, with accumulated 142 MW capacity now developed. ECOVE expects there will be a surging demand for renewable power due to corporate commitments and emissions reduction needs from power-intensive users. ECOVE will steadily develop the US, European, and Southeast Asian markets, increasing the scale of power generation, and exploring energy storage opportunities. 

Solar power is prone to weather fluctuations. For solar power to be generated efficiently, it is essential to have a comprehensive maintenance plan. This is where ECOVE’s electromechanical O&M expertise and experience comes handy. The company now offers solar power plant inspection and maintenance services, creating unique standard operating procedures for various facilities, such as PV panels, PV modules, and inverters. Recently, ECOVE also introduced thermal UAV inspection technology and AI monitoring technology to O&M projects. So far, ECOVE has operated and maintained more than 350 MW of power plants in aggregate, showing great results. These services not only have met the corporates’ surging demand for green power, but have also brought new low-carbon business opportunities and successfully helped diversify ECOVE’s energy business portfolio.

Confronting Emissions-Reduction & Labor Shortage Challenges by Enhancing Smart and Digitized Management

ECOVE strives to enhance the operation efficiency through smart operations. All operating status and figures at every plant are fed back to the server at the headquarters, where they are processed and visualized, so that managers at all levels can see how equipment and systems are performing. Such big data facilitates smart operations in that it can help optimize parameter controls, pre-diagnosis, troubleshooting, and procedure adjustment.

Keeping the Earth Sustainable with ECOVE’s Core Competencies

As the world is heading towards net zero, ECOVE will continue to apply its core business competencies related to the circular economy in daily operations to help keep the Earth sustainable. Moreover, ECOVE fully supports its parent group’s vision, which is to become “a pioneer in net zero EPC that calls upon all employees to participate in ESG.” ECOVE’s excellent ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance is widely recognized. Accolades include: Scored top 5% in annual corporate governance evaluation for eight years in a row; first place in the health and environmental services provider category in CommonWealth Magazine’s Top 2,000 Enterprises rankings; highest recognition “two-star resource cycling top performer”; and over 300% in subscription for ECOVE’s green bonds. ECOVE is truly a role model in corporate sustainability.

With a commitment to becoming “the most reliable leader in resource cycling services” and helping clients make real contribution to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, ECOVE will continue to enhance its technological integration capabilities and optimize resource cycling efficiency. That way, ECOVE can enjoy low-carbon business opportunities while the Earth becomes more sustainable, ushering a better future for mankind.