Veterans Affairs Council's Taitung Farm Launches 'Circular Green Energy'! Agricultural Waste Transformed into Power-Generating Pellets, Creating a Military-Civilian Shared Disaster-Resilient Base

Taitung Farm, under the Veterans Affairs Council of the Republic of China, is advancing the 'Delegated Operation of the Demonstration Field for Biomass Green Energy Material Conversion' project. Yingdi Enterprise, with over a decade of experience in biomass fuel, won the bid and secured a 15-year operational right. The company utilizes branches and wood materials to produce wood pellets, which serve as fuel for containerized power generation systems capable of continuous operation even during grid disruptions—potentially strengthening national defense energy resilience.

The 'Demonstration Field for Biomass Green Energy Material Conversion Delegated Operation' project plans two major sites in Chishang Township, transforming agricultural waste, forestry pruning residues, and craft leftovers into high-value wood pellets, integrating circular economy principles, regional green energy, and disaster resilience.

The two designated areas are:

1. **Operations Center**: Equipped with enclosed automated pelletizing machinery and dust/noise reduction facilities, this site processes locally sourced fruit tree prunings, eucalyptus thinnings, and driftwood into high-density biomass fuel pellets meeting CNS 17225-2 standards through an integrated production line.

2. **Sales & Demonstration Point**: Located near popular attractions like the Bolin Boulevard, this site functions as an experiential hub combining violin culture with agricultural-forestry recycling. It showcases and sells fruitwood-smoked BBQ pellets and eco-friendly wood-based cat litter, while promoting circular resource use and sustainability through hands-on violin-making workshops and cultural experiences.

Yingdi Enterprise uses branches and wood materials to manufacture wood pellets, serving as fuel for containerized power generation systems that remain operational during grid outages. (Photo by Chang Yao-Lin)

Yingdi Enterprise CEO Wen-Ting Chiu stated that beyond replacing traditional industrial coal—with up to 97% carbon reduction—the company plans to apply its biomass fuel pellets to the 'PowerContainer Containerized Micro-Biomass Power Generation System.' This system integrates a biomass pellet boiler, gasification power module, solar power, and energy storage, featuring 'plug-and-play' and 'Island Mode' capabilities. It ensures 24/7 stable electricity and heat supply, and when earthquakes, typhoons, or extreme events disrupt the main grid, it instantly switches to off-grid operation, providing robust backup power for local communities and national defense logistics.

A Taitung Farm employee revealed that previously, the farm had to pay contractors to remove agricultural waste such as tree branches. Now, through Yingdi’s equipment, these pruning residues can be converted into wood pellets.

Associate Professor Wei Long from the Department of Wood Science and Design at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology pointed out that raw biomass materials are inherently heterogeneous and vary in moisture content. Direct combustion leads to fluctuating boiler temperatures, black smoke, and unstable energy conversion efficiency. Pelletization standardizes energy density. Given that no single feedstock in Taiwan can meet year-round demand, blending multiple sources is essential. The more localized the fuel source, the lower the risk of energy tracking and supply disruption. 'We hope civilian-developed systems can meet dual-use needs for both military and civilian applications,' he said.