Over 100 Participants Gather at New Energy and Carbon Market Business Forum to Explore VPPs, Hydrogen, Offshore Wind CPPA and Carbon Removal Opportunities

On June 19, RECCESSARY and EnergyOMNI co-hosted the "New Energy and Carbon Market Opportunity Forum," bringing together key stakeholders from industry, government, and academia to explore global trends in energy transition and investment opportunities in carbon markets. From left to right: Yu-Tien Chiu, Deputy General Manager of Taiwan Smart Electric Energy (TSEE); Sherry Hu, Carbon Market Analyst at RECCESSARY; Peter Peng, General Manager of Guangtai Environmental Energy; Jason Huang, Founder of RECCESSARY; Tze-Luen Lin, Deputy Executive Director of the Executive Yuan Office of Energy and Carbon Reduction; Xin-En Wu, Founder of EnergyOMNI; George Hsu, Convener of the Taiwan Alliance for Energy Digital Transformation (TAEDT); Roger Chen, Chairman of Enel X Taiwan; and Jeffery Shen, Vice President of Merchant and Clean Energy at Linde LienHwa Industrial Gases.

To accelerate corporate net-zero transformation and identify emerging business opportunities, the "New Energy and Carbon Market Business Forum" was held on June 19, co-hosted by RECCESSARY and EnergyOMNI, two leading platforms for carbon and energy intelligence. The event brought together industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders from academia and across sectors to provide in-depth analysis on global trends and investment opportunities. Focusing on VPPs, Hydrogen, Offshore Wind CPPA, Carbon reduction and Carbon removal topics.

Jason Huang, Founder and CEO of RECCESSARY, noted that the forum was born from the belief that media should collaborate, not just compete."The world is facing significant information asymmetries in the fields of new energy and carbon," he said. "We aim to close these gaps through dedicated editorial and research efforts that create value from information."

Xin-En Wu, Founder of EnergyOMNI, remarked that this year marks the platform's fourth anniversary. She emphasized that media play a critical role in shaping policy discourse and facilitating cross-sector dialogue. "We go beyond merely reporting facts. Through deep industry observation and accessible analysis, we help the public grasp complex issues. EnergyOMNI is an innovative entity that integrates media, sector insight, and policy advocacy."

Tze-Luen Lin, Deputy Executive Director of the Executive Yuan's Office of Energy and Carbon Reduction, noted in his remarks that he has been involved in carbon reduction efforts for over 20 years. With this year marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, Lin emphasized that global developments are accelerating. Since the adoption of Article 6 last year, international focus has shifted toward advancing carbon market mechanisms, making the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C more critical than ever.

VPPs Depend on Market Mechanisms, Hydrogen Storage Key to Grid Resilience, Calls for Greater Flexibility in Offshore Wind CPPA

The forum's first half focused on virtual power plants (VPPs), hydrogen energy, and power trading platforms, analyzing the challenges and market dynamics shaping these technologies.

George Hsu, Chair of the Taiwan Energy Digital Transformation Industry-Academia Alliance, presented on "From Policy to Practice: Building Regulatory and Market Foundations for VPPs. Citing U.S. Department of Energy data, he noted that by 2030, VPPs could replace 10–20% of peaking power plants and save the grid over USD 10 billion annually. He argued that Taiwan should aim for at least 15–25% of its peak load to be handled by VPPs, which must be supported by effective market mechanisms.

Hsu identified five key challenges to commercializing VPPs: 1. Scaling up distributed energy resources (DERs); 2. Streamlining VPP registration; 3. Enhancing operational standardization; 4. Integrating VPPs into public utility planning and incentives; 5. Enabling participation in wholesale electricity markets.

Roger Chen, Chairman of Enel X Taiwan, gave a talk titled "Virtual Power Plants: Turning Electricity Costs into Sustainable Business Gains." He pointed out that Taiwan's annual peak demand only lasts about 200 hours—roughly 2% of the year. Demand response is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to meet this need. Chen highlighted that VPPs allow companies to generate new revenue, enhance sustainability performance, improve reliability, and strengthen grid resilience.

Jeffery Shen, Vice President of Merchant and Clean energy, Linde LienHwa Industrial Gases, spoke on "Capturing the Hydrogen First-Mover Advantage in Asia-Pacific." With over 30 years of hydrogen production experience, Shen announced that two hydrogen refueling stations—developed in partnership with CPC—will be completed by Q3. While Taiwan lacks low-carbon hydrogen for power generation, Shen noted its strategic value for long-duration energy storage, particularly during peak renewable energy production, easing grid pressure.

Yu-Tien Chiu, Deputy General Manager of Taiwan Smart Electricity & Energy (TSEE), discussed "Flexible Offshore Wind CPPA: The Rise of Power Trading Platforms." Taiwan Intelligent Energy, the 100th licensed power retailer in Taiwan, forecasts national renewable energy demand to reach 48 billion kWh by 2030 and 100 billion kWh by 2040. Yet, large-scale offshore wind procurement still faces barriers: most financing banks require a minimum purchase of 50 MW over 25–30 years and demand high credit ratings. TSEE plans to offer more flexible CPPA options, with an expected purchase volume of 1 GW sourced primarily from Phase 3-1 and 3-2 offshore wind farms.

Global Carbon Markets Converge, Companies Face 5 Key Roles in CDR Ecosystems

The forum's second half turned to carbon trading, carbon removal (CDR), and biochar carbon sinks, offering strategies for corporate engagement and insights into evolving market structures.

Nadine Lim, International Policy Analyst at the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), delivered a keynote on "Trends in Asia and Global Carbon Markets." Lim observed that Asia will become a major growth region for carbon pricing systems over the next few years, with several countries considering carbon taxes or emissions trading schemes.

She emphasized that Article 6 of the Paris Agreement enables countries to collaborate on emissions reductions where costs are lowest, potentially saving USD 250 billion annually by 2030. Lim also highlighted how the distinction between domestic and international carbon markets is blurring. Mechanisms like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) are prompting countries to establish similar frameworks, influencing the global trajectory of carbon pricing.

Sherry Hu, Carbon Market Analyst at RECCESSARY, presented "Carbon Trading from an Industry Perspective." She noted that while the voluntary carbon market experienced a slowdown in recent years, trading volume declines are stabilizing. However, risks related to greenwashing remain a serious concern.

Hu proposed five strategic roles companies can play in the carbon trading ecosystem: Strategic management, Operational management, Project development, Data and trend analytics and Market matchmaking

From buyers and sellers to consultants and platforms, every participant in this ecosystem has a unique opportunity to contribute and benefit.

Tank, Co-Founder of CDR.fyi, gave a talk on "Carbon Removal Market Outlook and Corporate Strategies." He stressed that reducing emissions alone will not keep global warming below 1.5°C—investment in carbon removal technologies is essential. Tank identified five potential roles for companies: technology developer, project developer, value chain provider, financier, and buyer.

Peter Peng, General Manager of Guangtai Environmental Energy, focused on "Biochar Carbon Sinks: Unlocking Investment Opportunities." Peng highlighted biochar's wide applications in agriculture and pollution control and noted Guangtai's pioneering efforts to use biochar in plastics, sporting goods, construction materials, and cosmetics. The company also implements DMRV (Digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) systems to ensure production transparency and compliance.

The forum emphasized dialogue and collaboration. In addition to keynote speeches and technical sessions, it included networking lunches, coffee breaks, and a focused panel discussion—fostering peer exchange and equipping businesses with actionable insights to strengthen their green competitiveness.