臺灣再生能源政策的演進：歷史制度主義的視角

Abstract

本研究著眼於臺灣在高度依賴化石燃料與核能的歷史脈絡，如何於國際減碳趨勢與本地民意壓力的推動下，逐步形塑再生能源的發展路徑。自2000年起，臺灣推出「太陽能示範獎勵辦法」鼓勵綠能示範，之後陸續修訂《再生能源發展條例》與電業法，並提出非核家園與淨零排放等目標，展現政策調整的企圖。然而，實際推動過程經常遭遇官僚慣性、火力與核能既得利益、地方抗爭以及電網與用地等結構性制約。此一現象引發本研究的核心問題：一，臺灣火力與核能的歷史路徑依賴如何形塑再生能源政策的進程與限制；二，在外部衝擊與在地需求快速演變的情勢下，決策者與行動者究竟透過哪些制度修補與利益博弈，在有限空間中為綠能發展奠定成長契機。 文獻回顧顯示，早期研究多集中於太陽能與風能的技術效率與經濟評估，並探討躉購電價制度（FIT）、競標拍賣、綠電憑證等對投資誘因與市場擴充的影響。隨著再生能源在臺灣的裝置規模逐漸擴大，社會面與政治經濟面向的重要性更加凸顯：社群參與與在地利益分享能有效降低衝突，而火力與核能所累積的行政與投資慣性則對綠能發展構成長期制約。有鑑於此，歷史制度主義理論逐漸受到重視，強調外部事件與政黨輪替等「關鍵時刻」對於打破舊有體系的啟示作用，並解釋中央政府如何藉助法規修正與制度創新，引導離岸風電與太陽能光電成為臺灣能源體系中的新興選項。 本研究採用歷史制度主義作為主要分析架構，透過對2000年至2024年各階段（萌芽期、成型期、加速期、推進期）的政策文獻、官方報告與新聞資料進行文本分析，並輔以對主管機關、開發商、環保團體及地方社群的深度訪談，系統性梳理臺灣再生能源在法規、行政協調、社會互動與投資模式上的轉變。透過「路徑依賴」與「關鍵時刻」的對照，本研究呈現火力與核能體系的歷史根源如何鞏固舊制，也說明在核安疑慮、空汙議題與國際綠色貿易等外在壓力下，政府嘗試以修法與配套措施引導市場投資，為綠電發展爭取空間。 研究結果顯示，離岸風電與太陽能光電雖已在技術與成本面達到一定程度的成果，政策落實中仍面臨電網的併網容量、地方抗爭與土地資源協調的種種瓶頸。尤其在基礎建設層面，現有輸配電系統往往無法迅速升級，以因應大量間歇性綠能的併網需求，導致風電與光電專案的實際接入規模未能如預期擴增。此外，當外部壓力升高，官方雖會透過修法與配套來提振綠能投資，但行政協調難度並未因此降低，且制度調整的速度與效率也常受到政治與經濟利益糾葛的影響。地方政府與民間企業若缺乏完整溝通平台與機制，則風電和光電專案易出現審查延宕、社群對立或環境爭議；然而，地方勢力同時也是推動再生能源設備設置的重要推手，若能透過適當的公私協力與在地利益分享機制，就能創造在地支持的正向動能，協助綠能專案落地。 整體而言，本研究的主要貢獻在於透過歷史制度主義觀點，詳細分析臺灣能源體制如何在既有路徑與外部衝擊之間進行動態修補，進一步釐清綠能政策演進與傳統電力結構的互動模式。這樣的觀點不僅補足先前研究偏向技術與經濟層面之侷限，也凸顯地方治理與公民參與在再生能源推動中所扮演的核心角色。從實務層面來看，本研究可為政策制定者提供具體建議，包括重視地方利益分配、公私協力與長期維持投資穩定度，並持續關注電網調度與環境監督，才有助於在外部減碳與內部社會需求的多重壓力下，逐步強化再生能源在臺灣能源結構中的地位。未來研究則可聚焦於儲能、氫能以及智慧電網等領域，探討新技術如何在既有體制與國際碳關稅的競爭環境下實現制度銜接，也可透過跨國比較或縱向追蹤檢視臺灣是否能在全球減碳要求與本地路徑依賴之間，持續開拓出更具韌性的能源轉型方案。

This study focuses on how Taiwan, historically highly dependent on fossil fuels and nuclear power, has gradually shaped its renewable energy development path under the impetus of international decarbonization trends and growing domestic public pressure. Starting in 2000, Taiwan introduced the “Solar Energy Demonstration Incentive Program” to encourage green energy demonstration projects, followed by successive amendments to the Renewable Energy Development Act and the Electricity Act. The government also announced goals such as a “nuclear-free homeland” and achieving “net-zero emissions,” showcasing its ambition for policy adjustments. However, the actual promotion process frequently encounters bureaucratic inertia, vested interests in fossil fuels and nuclear power, local resistance, as well as structural constraints related to the power grid and land use. These circumstances lead to two core questions in this study: first, how the historical path dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power in Taiwan has shaped and limited the progress of renewable energy policies; and second, in the face of rapidly evolving external pressures and local demands, what kinds of institutional refinements and interest-based negotiations decision-makers and stakeholders engage in to establish opportunities for green energy development within a constrained space. A review of the literature shows that early research primarily focused on technical efficiency and economic assessments of solar and wind power, examining how feed-in tariffs (FIT), competitive bidding, and green electricity certificates affect investment incentives and market expansion. As renewable energy installations in Taiwan have gradually increased, the importance of social and political-economic dimensions has become more evident: community participation and local benefit-sharing can effectively reduce conflicts, whereas the accumulated administrative and investment inertia of fossil fuels and nuclear power imposes a long-term constraint on green energy growth. Accordingly, historical institutionalism has gained increasing attention, emphasizing “critical junctures” such as external events and changes in government leadership for breaking established systems and explaining how the central government utilizes legal revisions and institutional innovations to foster the emergence of offshore wind power and solar photovoltaics within Taiwan’s energy framework. Using historical institutionalism as the main analytical framework, this study conducts a textual analysis of policy documents, official reports, and news articles from 2000 to 2024—covering the germination, formative, accelerating, and advancing phases—and supplements this with in-depth interviews with relevant government agencies, developers, environmental groups, and local communities. By contrasting “path dependence” with “critical junctures,” the study reveals how the historical roots of fossil fuels and nuclear power consolidate the old system and illustrates how the government, under external pressures such as nuclear safety concerns, air pollution issues, and international green trade, attempts to guide market investments through legal reforms and supportive measures, thereby securing space for the development of green power. The results indicate that although offshore wind power and solar photovoltaics have reached a certain level of accomplishment in terms of technology and cost, policy implementation still faces numerous bottlenecks related to grid capacity, local opposition, and coordination over land resources. In particular, from an infrastructure standpoint, the current transmission and distribution system often cannot be upgraded swiftly enough to accommodate the large-scale integration of intermittent renewable energy, resulting in a lower-than-expected actual connection capacity for wind and solar projects. Moreover, when external pressure increases, officials do step up efforts to bolster renewable energy investment through legal amendments and supportive measures, yet the difficulty of administrative coordination remains high, and the speed and effectiveness of institutional reforms frequently fall prey to political and economic entanglements. If local governments and private enterprises lack comprehensive communication mechanisms, wind and solar projects can become mired in approval delays, community opposition, or environmental disputes. Nevertheless, local forces can also serve as a crucial driver for renewable energy installations; with appropriate public–private partnerships and local benefit-sharing frameworks, positive support can be generated from local stakeholders, helping green energy projects to proceed more smoothly. Overall, the chief contribution of this study lies in applying the perspective of historical institutionalism to analyze in detail how Taiwan’s energy system engages in dynamic adaptations between existing pathways and external shocks, thereby clarifying the interaction between the evolution of green energy policies and the traditional electricity structure. This viewpoint not only addresses the limitations of earlier studies that focused mainly on technical and economic aspects but also underscores the essential role of local governance and public participation in promoting renewable energy. From a practical perspective, this research offers specific recommendations for policymakers, including emphasizing the fair distribution of local benefits, facilitating public–private collaborations, ensuring long-term investment stability, and continually monitoring grid scheduling and environmental oversight. These efforts are crucial for strengthening the place of renewable energy in Taiwan’s energy mix under the dual pressures of external decarbonization mandates and domestic societal demands. Future studies could concentrate on energy storage, hydrogen energy, and smart grids to explore how emerging technologies can align with existing systems in a global environment increasingly influenced by carbon tariffs. Additionally, cross-national comparisons or longitudinal tracking could examine whether Taiwan can continue to carve out a more resilient pathway for energy transformation amid global decarbonization requirements and local path dependencies.