Consensus remained elusive between the authorities and environmental groups in a public hearing on energy policies on Thursday, as experts criticized the government for still embracing nuclear power, while Taiwan's best interest clearly lies in the development of renewable energy sources.

On Thursday, environmental groups taking part in an energy development policy conference criticized the government's efforts to develop nuclear energy, which have left older nuclear power plants sitting idle, and thermal energy, which produces high levels of pollution.

The groups say that the government's green energy policies are for show only, and that it has done virtually nothing to develop recycled energy.

According to experts, recycled energy will account for only 8.2% of all energy in Taiwan in 2020.

Civic groups say that Taiwan has great potential in developing recycled energy, including solar and wind power, and that developing wind power sources on Taiwan's plains can surpass the energy production of the fourth nuclear power plant.

Experts believe that focusing almost entirely on nuclear and thermal power will lead to an overestimation of Taiwan's economic growth and energy consumption rates, and that electric resources are being wasted.