Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Tzu Chi Foundation and Motech Industries, Inc., a company committed to researching and developing solar power systems, have joined hands to create a solar energy green environmental protection plan, to fulfill their social responsibility and work towards the 2050 net-zero emissions goal.

Ceremony

On the morning of March 8th, at the Tzu Chi Eastern District Office in Taipei, Tzu Chi Foundation CEO Yan Po-Wen (顏博文) and Motech Industries General Manager Yeh Cheng-Hsien (葉正賢) signed the cooperation agreement, as representatives of their respective organizations. Tzu Chi Foundation Deputy CEO Liu Hsiao-Cheng (劉效成), Motech Industries Chairman Tseng Yung-Hui (曾永輝), and several Tzu Chi volunteers also attended the signing ceremony.

During the signing ceremony, Chan Gui-qi (詹桂祺), Director of General Affairs at Tzu Chi Foundation, shared Tzu Chi's concrete efforts in implementing, promoting, and advocating environmental protection. Cai Li-fu (蔡立夫), Deputy General Manager of the Power Business Division at Motech Industries, shared his expertise in solar power generation and its sustainability.

Goal of Collaboration

The collaboration aims to construct jointly a solar photovoltaic green energy and environmental protection plan for 11 Tzu Chi branch offices. They are located in central and southern Taiwan and have a more advantageous environment due to the abundance of sunlight throughout the year. The plan will involve installing solar panels on the rooftops of these buildings in a gradual and systematic manner, to create a green energy environment. It is estimated that the total solar power generation will reach 4 million kilowatt-hours per year, which will reduce carbon emissions by 2,036 tons per year. This is equivalent to planting 165,000 trees.

Cherish Mother Earth

Tseng Yong-hui, Chairman of Motech Industries, stated that "Modern Technology for a Sustainable World" is the company's motto for building a sustainable environment. General Manager Yeh Cheng-hsien added that Motech has been dedicated to producing solar cells using advanced technology for over 40 years, with more than 20 years of expertise in solar cell and module manufacturing. Motech is Taiwan's first solar cell manufacturer and committed to providing clean and abundant renewable energy to every corner of the world, to ensure that future generations can sustainably survive on Earth.

Environmental protection has always been an important issue for the Tzu Chi Foundation. It is committed to environmental protection and has implemented many measures to promote it. For example, Tzu Chi has laid high-pressure permeable concrete bricks at many of its facilities to allow the earth to breathe.

It has also developed interlocking bricks made from recycled plastic to be used in building design. The bricks are used on building exterior walls and balconies to reduce direct sunlight, while also actively promoting environmental education. Tzu Chi has even created two 40-foot second-hand container vehicles for environmental education. These vehicles are equipped with 22 100-watt solar panels to provide power for devices inside the vehicles.

The rooftops of the Tzu Chi General Hospitals in Taichung and Tzu Chi Elementary and Junior High School in Tainan have collaborated with Motech Industries to install solar photovoltaic systems, to achieve sustainable green energy environments in the hospital and school campuses.

Tzu Chi and Motech are working together to implement energy conservation and carbon reduction, for the sustainable development of the environment and as a model for co-creation of social enterprises.

A Jing Si Aphorism says: "Not only should we love people, but also love the earth. When the land is peaceful, people will be peaceful too."

Join Tzu Chi. Let us cherish Mother Earth together.

Article and photos by Yan Fu-Jiang from Taipei, 2023/03/08