China increases 2015 renewable energy goals

China will raise development targets for renewable energy such as wind power and solar energy for the five-year period through 2015. China is targeting 3GW of roof-top solar energy capacity by 2015 and 25GW by 2020, according to a Chinese press report. China is targeting 3 gigawatts of roof-mounted solar power generating capacity by 2015 and 25 GW by 2020. If the goals are confirmed, they suggest a third of China’s solar power capacity would be roof-mounted by 2015 and a half by 2020, making rooftop solar panel installations a key direction in solar power expansion.

China had only about 300 megawatts of rooftop solar power capacity at the end of 2010. Other main solar power installations include ground-mounted, utility-scale photovotaic power stations and concentrated solar thermal power plants.

China has doubled its target for installed solar power capacity over the next five years to 10 GW by 2015 and 50 GW by 2020, state media reported.

The country aims to have 100 gigawatts (GW) of on-grid wind farm generating capacity by the end of 2015 and to generate 190 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of wind energy annually, the China Securities Journal reported, citing a government plan. The goal was higher than a target of 90 GW proposed earlier by the National Energy Administration.

Of the planned 10 GW of solar power capacity in 2015, photovoltaic power installations will account for 9 GW and concentrated solar thermal power capacity will make up the rest, the report said.

Last month, the country set unified grid feed-in tariff for solar power generation for the first time ever, giving clearer guidance for solar power project developers when making investment decisions.