China expects to increase its use of renewable energy by 2,000 percent for some technologies within the next 15 years.
PORTLAND, Oregon, US, 2001-03-27 <SolarAccess.com> The application of solar photovoltaic will increase from 18 MW in 2000 to 320 MW by 2015, according to Miao Hong of the State Economic & Trade Commission. The application of grid connected wind power from jump from 340 to 7,000 MW during the same time. The targets were established by the Commission last year, and Hong provided an update at a renewable energy workshop held by APEC in Oregon. Off grid small wind power will grow from 20 to 105 MW and solar water heating systems will grow from 20 million square metre of collectors to 232 million. Geothermal for electricity generation will go from 30 to 110 MW, while the application of earth energy heat pumps for space heating will treble. China will also experience significant increases in the application of biogas from industrial and agricultural wastes, and straw gasification for heating and power generation. “China has reached a rapid development in renewable energy field in the last two decades, since the economic system reform and opening up policy was implemented,” says Hong. “In recent years, with the economic reform going into the late stage, private business began to play more and more important role.” There are more than 1,000 solar water heater companies in the country, with half of the large companies being privately owned. The Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association was recently formed to connect domestic companies with stakeholders in the international market. The APEC summit was held to collaborate on efforts to promote renewable energy in the Pacific Rim.
