China will strive to increase the domestic photovoltaic (PV) power capacities to not less than 1000MW a year after 2012, according to an official meeting.

(December 6, 2010) -- China will strive to increase the domestic photovoltaic (PV) power capacities to not less than 1000MW a year after 2012, according to an official meeting.

This means that the country's PV installed capacities two years later will surpass the current total PV capacities.

A meeting jointly held by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the National Energy Administration (NEA) said that China would expand pilot programs for PV power generation in two years.

The NEA earlier predicted that China would have installed PV capacities of 600MW by the end of 2010 given that this year's PV output is likely to double that of last year.

To encourage PV application in the domestic market with the aim for energy saving and emissions reduction, the meeting made it clear that China will continue to support construction of large PV power stations in regions rich in light resources and will also give fiscal subsidies to expand construction of "Golden Sun" program and solar PV building programs.

The "Golden Sun" program is the second national solar subsidy program announced by China's Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Energy Administration of the National Development and Reform Commission in July 2009. It provides upfront subsidies for qualified demonstrative PV projects from 2009 to 2011. The first solar subsidy program, the BIPV subsidy program announced in March 2009, provides upfront subsidy for grid-connected rooftop and BIPV systems.

China is the largest PV producer in the world. Its PV production hit about 4000MW last year, with more than 96% sold overseas. Its PV module output this year is expected to account for over a half in the world total, but most will still be exported.