Taiwan's push into AI data centers is running into a power problem, and the fix being urged is to flip how the island plans industry — good for grid stability, awkward for companies used to picking their own sites.

• The call is to put AI and other power-hungry factories where plants and grid capacity already exist, instead of building industrial parks first and scrambling for electricity later.
• Adding more solar and wind capacity does not mean steady green power around the clock, because both are on-and-off sources.
• Geothermal could fill the gap since it runs almost nonstop, but drilling costs, exploration risk, and a small local industry are holding it back.
• AI data center operators have pledged to run entirely on renewable power, and Taiwan's green electricity supply is already tight.
• Batteries, microgrids, and smarter power management are needed before that demand arrives — and a storage project takes 18 months to two years to build.

Outlook: Expect pressure on the government for clearer energy rules and deeper geological surveys, with storage buildout the near-term bottleneck for Taiwan's AI ambitions.