China plans to achieve the goal of 20 million kWh of installed solar power capacity in 2020, said Liang Zhipeng, head of the new and renewable energy division of China's State Energy Bureau. The goal is over 10 times the target set by the government two years ago.
"With fierce market competition and advancing technology, if the cost of solar power is comparable with wind power and thermal power, the total solar power capacity won't be limited to 20 million kWh," said Liang, expecting that annual growth of solar power capacity will be 5 to 10 million kWh by then.
In the wind power sector, the government set a goal close to market estimation. Liang said that China would establish 7 wind power bases which would have over 10 million kWh of power capacity each. By 2020, China's wind power capacity will reach 150 million kWh.
China's target for water power and biomass energy remained unchanged. By 2020, these two sectors are expected to have capacity of 300 million kWh and 30 million kWh respectively. Nuclear power will "see considerable growth," said Liang.
Capacity is not the Chinese government's only goal, Liang noted. "We are in pursuit of not only capacity, but also technology and industrial competitiveness."
Liang estimated that by 2020, China's renewable energy use will be equivalent to 800 million tonnes of standard coal, or one third of China's current annual energy consumption. By then, China will be able to reduce carbon dioxide emission by 1.8 billion tonnes annually.
