By Cai Cai (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-15 13:47
China plans to put even greater effort into developing its renewable energy industry and cut greenhouse gas emissions to maintain sustainable economic growth in the coming years.
Investments worth more than two trillion yuan, or 10 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006, are needed to meet the renewable energy target by 2020, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
Addressing a press conference in Beijing early this week, Chen Deming, vice minister of NDRC, reiterated that China's medium and long-term target is to boost its fledging renewable energy industry, which is expected to play an important role in sustaining the country's future economic development.
NDRC plans to raise the ratio of renewable energy in total energy consumption to 10 percent by 2010 and 15 percent by 2020, compared to eight percent at present, Chen said.
Currently, coal annually accounts for more than 70 percent of China's total energy consumption, leaving great potential for the development of hydropower, marsh gas, solar, wind and other clean and renewable energies, he added.
Ambitious plan
According to its ambitious development plan, China's installed hydropower, wind power and solar power generation capacity will increase by 190 million kilowatts, 29 million kilowatts and 1.73 million kilowatts respectively between 2006 and 2020.
By 2020, the nation's installed hydropower, wind power and solar power generation capacity will reach more than 300 million kilowatts, 30 million kilowatts and 1.8 million kilowatts respectively.
To achieve this goal, China will have to seek greater international financial support and cooperation to develop its renewable energy industries in the years ahead, Chen said.
The Chinese government also expects and encourages more domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially private firms, to join hands in the development of the country's renewable energy industry, the vice-minister added.
He believes there is enough room for both foreign and domestic companies in the huge renewable energy sector.
The Chinese mainland has abundant renewable energy resources.
China generates much lower levels of greenhouse gases than developed countries, but treats the issue seriously and spares no effort to cut carbon dioxide emissions by enhancing energy efficiency and developing renewable energy, Chen pointed out.
Setting a specific target for renewable energy development is part of the country's commitment to saving energy and cutting emissions, he noted.
Incentives to go green
"We will adopt measures to guide and encourage the development of renewable energy. We will come up with various taxation and fiscal incentives, including subsidies and tax breaks," Vice-Minister Chen said.
The preferential policies will ensure equal treatment for all companies, whether private or State-owned, he promised.
Meanwhile China will continue to develop liquid biological fuel under the precondition of ensuring food security, said Chen.
The nation will not encourage the use of corn as bio-fuel raw material but turn to non-food crops, such as sweet potato and sorghum, to produce liquid bio-fuel, including ethanol and bio-diesel.
Most of such non-food crops grow in saline and barren lands that are unsuitable for growing grain, he said.
It is common practice around the world to produce bio-ethanol from corn; the United States annually produces 15 million tons of bio-ethanol from the crop, and has therefore increased corn output but decreased land area for growing soybean.
"In view of the per capita area of China's farmland, such a process is not suitable for the country," Chen said.
On the Chinese mainland, there are four facilities annually producing 1.02 million tons of bio-ethanol with long-preserved grain that has become inedible, he said.
"We will require real estate developers to install solar power equipment in their projects in the coming years to reduce energy consumption. And large State-owned energy enterprises will have quotas for investment in the development of renewable energy," the vice minister added.
Industrial analysts have said that most of the required two trillion yuan investment by 2020 will come from the market, with only a small proportion coming from the government.
As long as there are favorable government policies, market investment will support the development of renewable energy, analysts say.
Market-oriented preferential policies may include setting higher prices for electricity generated by renewable energy.
Hydropower and wind power are priority areas for developing renewable energy, because of the country's vast potential and advanced technology, said Chen.
Monday, September 17, 2007
JA Solar Extends Wafer Supply Agreement With ReneSola; Terminates Agreement With Former PowerLight Corporation
September 14, 2007: 07:36 AM EST
HEBEI, China, Sept. 14, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. ("JA Solar," "the Company") (Nasdaq:JASO) today announced that it has extended its wafer supply agreement with ReneSola Ltd. ("ReneSola") (LSE:SOLA). Under the new agreement, ReneSola will supply an additional 60MW of wafers to JingAo Solar Co., Ltd. ("JingAo"), the wholly-owned operating subsidiary of JA Solar, from 2008 to 2010.
Samuel Yang, Chief Executive Officer of JA Solar said, "This latest agreement is in line with our growth plans and continued efforts to meet customer demand. The agreement builds on our existing relationship with ReneSola, and further strengthens our supply chain."
Separately, JA Solar announced that SunPower Corporation, Systems ("SP Systems"), a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation ("SunPower") that was formerly known as PowerLight Corporation, and JingAo agreed to terminate, effective as of September 12, 2007, their Contract for the Delivery of Solar Cells (the "Agreement"), dated January 12, 2007. The Agreement was a three-year supply contract providing the general terms and conditions pursuant to which JingAo would supply SP Systems with up to 120 megawatts of silicon solar cells beginning in 2007. However, the parties have determined that an unanticipated quality problem with respect to metallurgical grade polysilicon could not be resolved in the near term. In addition, the Agreement provided pricing terms through only June 2007 and required the parties to renegotiate thereafter, but the parties have not reached any further agreement regarding pricing. Under the Agreement, if the parties do not agree on pricing terms after June 2007, JingAo is not obligated to sell and SP Systems is not obligated to purchase additional solar cells. As a result of the unresolved quality problems with respect to metallurgical grade polysilicon and unresolved pricing terms, the parties have agreed that it is mutually beneficial to terminate the Agreement. Termination of this agreement is not expected to have a material impact on JA Solar's 2007 or 2008 revenues or earnings.
About JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd.
Based in Hebei, China, JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. is an emerging and fast-growing manufacturer of high-performance monocrystalline solar cells. The Company sells its products to solar module manufacturers who assemble and integrate its solar cells into modules and systems that convert sunlight into electricity. For more information, please visit http://www.jasolar.com.
HEBEI, China, Sept. 14, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. ("JA Solar," "the Company") (Nasdaq:JASO) today announced that it has extended its wafer supply agreement with ReneSola Ltd. ("ReneSola") (LSE:SOLA). Under the new agreement, ReneSola will supply an additional 60MW of wafers to JingAo Solar Co., Ltd. ("JingAo"), the wholly-owned operating subsidiary of JA Solar, from 2008 to 2010.
Samuel Yang, Chief Executive Officer of JA Solar said, "This latest agreement is in line with our growth plans and continued efforts to meet customer demand. The agreement builds on our existing relationship with ReneSola, and further strengthens our supply chain."
Separately, JA Solar announced that SunPower Corporation, Systems ("SP Systems"), a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation ("SunPower") that was formerly known as PowerLight Corporation, and JingAo agreed to terminate, effective as of September 12, 2007, their Contract for the Delivery of Solar Cells (the "Agreement"), dated January 12, 2007. The Agreement was a three-year supply contract providing the general terms and conditions pursuant to which JingAo would supply SP Systems with up to 120 megawatts of silicon solar cells beginning in 2007. However, the parties have determined that an unanticipated quality problem with respect to metallurgical grade polysilicon could not be resolved in the near term. In addition, the Agreement provided pricing terms through only June 2007 and required the parties to renegotiate thereafter, but the parties have not reached any further agreement regarding pricing. Under the Agreement, if the parties do not agree on pricing terms after June 2007, JingAo is not obligated to sell and SP Systems is not obligated to purchase additional solar cells. As a result of the unresolved quality problems with respect to metallurgical grade polysilicon and unresolved pricing terms, the parties have agreed that it is mutually beneficial to terminate the Agreement. Termination of this agreement is not expected to have a material impact on JA Solar's 2007 or 2008 revenues or earnings.
About JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd.
Based in Hebei, China, JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. is an emerging and fast-growing manufacturer of high-performance monocrystalline solar cells. The Company sells its products to solar module manufacturers who assemble and integrate its solar cells into modules and systems that convert sunlight into electricity. For more information, please visit http://www.jasolar.com.
2008 Beijing Olympic Games To Widely Use Solar Energy
BEIJING, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Solar power will be widely applied during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, China's Xinhua news agency reported Thursday quoting a senior government official as saying.
Li Zhonghai, senior official with the China Association for Standardization said about 90 percent of all the hot water used in the Olympic village will be solar heated, and 80 to 90 percent of street lights around the Olympic venues will also be solar powered.
Li, who is also the member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said about 40 million Chinese households, or 150 million Chinese people, now use solar energy in their daily lives.
According to the People's Daily, China is the world's biggest user of solar water heating.
Following the implementation of the Renewable Energy Law in 2006, China's solar heating market is valued at tens of billions of yuan and has provided hundreds of thousand jobs, said the newspaper.
Li Zhonghai, senior official with the China Association for Standardization said about 90 percent of all the hot water used in the Olympic village will be solar heated, and 80 to 90 percent of street lights around the Olympic venues will also be solar powered.
Li, who is also the member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said about 40 million Chinese households, or 150 million Chinese people, now use solar energy in their daily lives.
According to the People's Daily, China is the world's biggest user of solar water heating.
Following the implementation of the Renewable Energy Law in 2006, China's solar heating market is valued at tens of billions of yuan and has provided hundreds of thousand jobs, said the newspaper.
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