Taiwan is seeking to deepen cooperation with Germany on energy transition and in the exploration of new techniques for reaching carbon neutrality, according to a National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) release Monday.
NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠), who is touring Europe from Nov. 15-25, visited the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, which was founded to promote international academic cooperation.
While there, Wu met with German scientist Robert Schlögl, where both shared their countries’ respective energy transition experiences and the importance of reaching carbon neutrality, the NSTC said.
In their discussions, Wu mentioned that Taiwan is plotting a path to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, while Schlögl indicated that Germany expects to reach that goal by 2045, the NSTC said, noting that the scientist also highlighted the importance of developments in new hydrogen technologies.
The minister said Taiwan was actively seeking international cooperation in decarbonization-related technologies, while Schlögl also expressed his willingness to forge cooperation exchanges in such fields with Taiwan, according to the NSTC.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, Schlögl will assume the role of president of the Humboldt Foundation, which made public his nomination in a release published in May this year.
The German scientist is currently the director of the Fritz Haber Institute (FHI), part of the Max Planck Society in Berlin, and of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion in Mülheim an der Ruhr.
After the meeting, Schlögl also arranged for Wu to visit the FHI, a renowned research center with ties to five Nobel Prize winners.
During the visit, Wu also got to meet with Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Germany’s federal mnister of education and research, the council said, although details of the meeting were not disclosed in the release.
According to the NSTC, Wu left Germany on Sunday and has flown to France, where he is scheduled to visit Arianespace, a French commercial launch service provider.
He will be there to learn about progress on Taiwan’s first domestically built weather satellite, TRITON, which is set to be launched early next year, the NSTC said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel