Xinhua Economic News Service , June 28, 2007 Thursday 5:00 AM EST
CHONGQING, June 28 (CEIS) - Construction on a large polysilicon production base involving total investment of four billion yuan started in Wanzhou District, Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, on June 27.
The project, invested by Daqo Group, will be the largest of its kind in China as its first phase project with an annual capacity of 3, 000 tons, is put into production in June of next year.
When the whole project is completed in 2009, it will be capable of producing 6,000 tons of polysilicon a year.
It is of important strategic significance for China to break the monopoly of foreign companies, ease the shortage of raw material supply for its booming solar industry and sharpen the international competitive edge of its solar industry, said market analysts.
Daqo Group, well-known as a middle-voltage electrical equipment producer with annual sales revenue topping six billion yuan, has obtained the exclusive right of polysilicon production technology in China from a German technology transfer company. It is learned that the technology can help Daqo produce both solar-class polysilicon and electronic-class one, with relatively low energy consumption and cost.
Wanzhou of Chongqing is rich in silicon ore, raw materials for producing polysilicon. After the polysilicon project is launched, Wanzhou will try to extend the production chain to the downstream silicon wafer and solar cell sectors.
China's major solar cell makers including Suntech (NYSE: STP), JA Solar (NASDAQ: JASO) and Solarfun Power (NASDAQ: SOLF) are all likely to be Daqo's key clients, but related cooperation agreements are expected to be signed next year, according to Xu Guangfu, chairman of Daqo Group.
June 27th, Daqo Group Multi Silicon Project Broke Ground in Chongqing. This will be the largest multi silicon production base in China, and the total investment is 4 Billion RMB (400 Million Euro).
Daqo Group plans to start the production in June 2008, and the production capacity will reach 3,000 Ton in 2008 and 6,000 Ton in 2009.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Dr Shi takes a shine to the PM
Florence Chong
June 26, 2007
SHI Zhengrong - dubbed China's sunshine boy by the international press - has pressured Prime Minister John Howard to join his push to pursue renewable energy in preference to nuclear power.
The visiting Australian-passport-holding billionaire told The Australian: "I said to the Prime Minister, as far as I understand, it will take 10 years to plan for nuclear power.
"In reality, solar power will definitely be very competitive with conventional technology in 10 years' time. There is no need to go to nuclear power."
Dr Shi is the founder of the Nasdaq-listed Suntech Power, capitalised at $US5.5 billion ($6.5 billion).
In 2005, he raised $US455 million to fund expansion and research and development. He owns 40 per cent of the shares himself.
Over dinner in Canberra last Friday, Dr Shi explained to Mr Howard that conventional energy sources such as oil should be kept for needs such as aviation.
"I urge Australia to promote renewable energy, such as solar energy. Australian sunshine is an asset - you have to use it," he said.
According to Dr Shi, Mr Howard agreed, but said Australia lacked the ability to use solar energy for baseload power, which is why his government was looking at nuclear power.
Dr Shi said a big percentage of Australia's electricity supplies could come from solar energy, so "in my opinion there is no need for a big baseload".
Dr Shi, who came to Australia as a student when he was 19, was part of a delegation from Wuxi, a city near Shanghai, visiting Australia to recruit 300 young talents in a range of disciplines.
The former PhD student of University of NSW maintains close links with its research department, particularly his mentor Professor Martin Green, a world leader in photovoltaic solar cells.
The efficiency of solar technology is improving, he said, but he agreed that, depending on the location, it still cost two-to-five-times that of conventional energy.
Dr Shi said the cost of silicon was the reason solar energy remained expensive.
However, with plenty of money going into setting up additional silicon manufacturing capacity, he expected the silicon price to drop from 2009 onwards, when the extra plants went into production.
June 26, 2007
SHI Zhengrong - dubbed China's sunshine boy by the international press - has pressured Prime Minister John Howard to join his push to pursue renewable energy in preference to nuclear power.
The visiting Australian-passport-holding billionaire told The Australian: "I said to the Prime Minister, as far as I understand, it will take 10 years to plan for nuclear power.
"In reality, solar power will definitely be very competitive with conventional technology in 10 years' time. There is no need to go to nuclear power."
Dr Shi is the founder of the Nasdaq-listed Suntech Power, capitalised at $US5.5 billion ($6.5 billion).
In 2005, he raised $US455 million to fund expansion and research and development. He owns 40 per cent of the shares himself.
Over dinner in Canberra last Friday, Dr Shi explained to Mr Howard that conventional energy sources such as oil should be kept for needs such as aviation.
"I urge Australia to promote renewable energy, such as solar energy. Australian sunshine is an asset - you have to use it," he said.
According to Dr Shi, Mr Howard agreed, but said Australia lacked the ability to use solar energy for baseload power, which is why his government was looking at nuclear power.
Dr Shi said a big percentage of Australia's electricity supplies could come from solar energy, so "in my opinion there is no need for a big baseload".
Dr Shi, who came to Australia as a student when he was 19, was part of a delegation from Wuxi, a city near Shanghai, visiting Australia to recruit 300 young talents in a range of disciplines.
The former PhD student of University of NSW maintains close links with its research department, particularly his mentor Professor Martin Green, a world leader in photovoltaic solar cells.
The efficiency of solar technology is improving, he said, but he agreed that, depending on the location, it still cost two-to-five-times that of conventional energy.
Dr Shi said the cost of silicon was the reason solar energy remained expensive.
However, with plenty of money going into setting up additional silicon manufacturing capacity, he expected the silicon price to drop from 2009 onwards, when the extra plants went into production.
Monday, June 25, 2007
China Jing Long Group is building 200 more mono-crystal furnaces
China Jing Long Group is building 200 more mono-crystal furnaces, and Jing Long Group will have 500 mono-crystal furnaces at the end of 2007, and the annual production capacity will be over 3000 Tons. Jing Long Group has been the largest solar mono-crystal producer in the world for continuous 4 years.
Jing Long Group has nine joint ventures, and is planning to joint venture with one French BIPV company.
Jing Long Group has nine joint ventures, and is planning to joint venture with one French BIPV company.
China to amend law to reduce energy consumption
BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Under heavy pressure to cut energy consumption, China is now turning the spotlight on to construction projects, the transportation sector and government buildings.
China's top legislature on Sunday began deliberating a draft amendment to the Law on Conserving Energy, which details measures to avoid energy waste in the three areas to improve energy efficiency and cut pollution emissions.
Under a five-year plan to 2010, China pledged to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 20 percent, or four percent each year. But, the consumption actually fell by just 1.23 percent last year.
"Achieving the target is highly problematic. Energy consumption in some areas and industries just keeps rising," Fu Zhihuan, chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), told lawmakers in a report.
Fu said energy consumption in these three areas has been rising rapidly. He said they had not been given enough attention and were the "weak link" in China's energy-saving campaign.
Official statistics show that construction accounted for 27.5 percent of China's total energy consumption in 2005, transportation 16.3 percent and government buildings 6.7 percent.
The draft, tabled to lawmakers for a first reading, says that construction project must reach obligatory energy-saving standards and buildings and plants already built will be subject to regular inspection by building authorities.
It also says Chinese cities will gradually replace antiquated central heating with modern household heating systems that can be individually regulated.
Other energy-saving measures include strict control of the indoor temperature of public buildings and restrictions on decorative lighting for large buildings.
China has built 1.06 billion square meters of energy efficient buildings, but the figure represents only 7 percent of the total floor space of existing buildings in urban China, statistics from the Ministry of Construction show.
According to a survey by the ministry in 30 regions, the four municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing are doing relatively well in implementing energy saving codes, but other regions are a long way behind in technological standards and government supervision.
The draft, which almost doubles the articles of the original law, also requires governments at all levels to increase investment in public transport, improve services and encourage the public to use public transport.
China, once known as the kingdom of bicycles, has overtaken Japan to become the world's second largest auto market after the United States with Chinese people's love for private vehicles showing no sign of abating. The number of privately owned motor vehicles rose 18.8 percent year-on-year to 22 million in China in 2006.
The draft says that the Chinese government encourages the development, production, selling and use of environmental-friendly vehicles and new types of automobile propelled by new clean fuel, in an effort to save energy and cut emissions.
The draft also requires governments at all levels to make energy-saving plans for their office buildings and make the details public.
It bans government from purchasing high energy-consuming equipment, saying that energy-saving products should be the priority in government procurement.
The State Council, or the cabinet, in early June issued a circular, ordering that the temperature of all air-conditioned public rooms in China should be kept at no lower than 26 degrees Celsius.
All government agencies, associations, groups, companies and private owners in public buildings should strictly comply with this rule, according to the circular.
The draft also highlighted energy efficiency in the industrial sector, saying that China will continue to push forward industrial restructuring and technical innovation to gradually weed out outdated production methods.
The six high energy-consuming and highly polluting industries -- electricity, steel, nonferrous metals, construction materials, oil processing and chemicals -- which account for nearly 70 percent of energy consumption and sulfur dioxide discharges of the entire industrial sector, grew by 20.6 percent in the first quarter of 2007, 6.6 percentage points higher than the same period a year earlier.
The government will issue preferential policies in financial investment, taxation, price, credit and government procurement to encourage energy-saving, according to the draft.
The Chinese government has announced a series of measures to cut energy consumption this year in order to meet strict energy efficiency and pollutant reduction targets, which it failed last year.
The State Council has set up a leading group head by Premier Wen Jiabao to oversee the national efforts for energy efficiency and discharge reduction.
Experts believe that by sharpening rules and punishments in the nine-year-old law, China will be able to achieve the widely publicized targets by 2010 and move in the direction of sustainable development.
"If China fails to significantly reduce energy consumption this year, it will be almost impossible for the country to reach the goal by 2010," said Dai Yande, deputy director of the energy institution under the NDRC.
"The draft amendment, which come at a critical moment, will provide a strong legal basis for China to further intensify its energy-saving campaign," Dai said.
China's top legislature on Sunday began deliberating a draft amendment to the Law on Conserving Energy, which details measures to avoid energy waste in the three areas to improve energy efficiency and cut pollution emissions.
Under a five-year plan to 2010, China pledged to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 20 percent, or four percent each year. But, the consumption actually fell by just 1.23 percent last year.
"Achieving the target is highly problematic. Energy consumption in some areas and industries just keeps rising," Fu Zhihuan, chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), told lawmakers in a report.
Fu said energy consumption in these three areas has been rising rapidly. He said they had not been given enough attention and were the "weak link" in China's energy-saving campaign.
Official statistics show that construction accounted for 27.5 percent of China's total energy consumption in 2005, transportation 16.3 percent and government buildings 6.7 percent.
The draft, tabled to lawmakers for a first reading, says that construction project must reach obligatory energy-saving standards and buildings and plants already built will be subject to regular inspection by building authorities.
It also says Chinese cities will gradually replace antiquated central heating with modern household heating systems that can be individually regulated.
Other energy-saving measures include strict control of the indoor temperature of public buildings and restrictions on decorative lighting for large buildings.
China has built 1.06 billion square meters of energy efficient buildings, but the figure represents only 7 percent of the total floor space of existing buildings in urban China, statistics from the Ministry of Construction show.
According to a survey by the ministry in 30 regions, the four municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing are doing relatively well in implementing energy saving codes, but other regions are a long way behind in technological standards and government supervision.
The draft, which almost doubles the articles of the original law, also requires governments at all levels to increase investment in public transport, improve services and encourage the public to use public transport.
China, once known as the kingdom of bicycles, has overtaken Japan to become the world's second largest auto market after the United States with Chinese people's love for private vehicles showing no sign of abating. The number of privately owned motor vehicles rose 18.8 percent year-on-year to 22 million in China in 2006.
The draft says that the Chinese government encourages the development, production, selling and use of environmental-friendly vehicles and new types of automobile propelled by new clean fuel, in an effort to save energy and cut emissions.
The draft also requires governments at all levels to make energy-saving plans for their office buildings and make the details public.
It bans government from purchasing high energy-consuming equipment, saying that energy-saving products should be the priority in government procurement.
The State Council, or the cabinet, in early June issued a circular, ordering that the temperature of all air-conditioned public rooms in China should be kept at no lower than 26 degrees Celsius.
All government agencies, associations, groups, companies and private owners in public buildings should strictly comply with this rule, according to the circular.
The draft also highlighted energy efficiency in the industrial sector, saying that China will continue to push forward industrial restructuring and technical innovation to gradually weed out outdated production methods.
The six high energy-consuming and highly polluting industries -- electricity, steel, nonferrous metals, construction materials, oil processing and chemicals -- which account for nearly 70 percent of energy consumption and sulfur dioxide discharges of the entire industrial sector, grew by 20.6 percent in the first quarter of 2007, 6.6 percentage points higher than the same period a year earlier.
The government will issue preferential policies in financial investment, taxation, price, credit and government procurement to encourage energy-saving, according to the draft.
The Chinese government has announced a series of measures to cut energy consumption this year in order to meet strict energy efficiency and pollutant reduction targets, which it failed last year.
The State Council has set up a leading group head by Premier Wen Jiabao to oversee the national efforts for energy efficiency and discharge reduction.
Experts believe that by sharpening rules and punishments in the nine-year-old law, China will be able to achieve the widely publicized targets by 2010 and move in the direction of sustainable development.
"If China fails to significantly reduce energy consumption this year, it will be almost impossible for the country to reach the goal by 2010," said Dai Yande, deputy director of the energy institution under the NDRC.
"The draft amendment, which come at a critical moment, will provide a strong legal basis for China to further intensify its energy-saving campaign," Dai said.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Big outlays seen in renewable energy
By Wu Chong (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-06-22 06:47
The nation saw a remarkable investment flow of $9 billion into the renewable energy sector last year, mostly in wind and solar segments, according to a report released yesterday by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
The 46-page analysis says globally, investment in sustainable energy investment climbed from $80 billion in 2005 to $100 billion last year, with unprecedented growth in developing countries, particularly China, India and Brazil.
China, the world's largest producer of renewable energy, took a healthy 9 percent of global investment last year, which was helped by significant asset financing activity in the wind, biomass and waste sectors, the report says.
Eric Usher, head of Renewable Energy Finance at UNEP, told China Daily that growth was led by both the Renewable Energy Law the country promulgated last year and the Clean Development Mechanism, a carbon credit trading system under the Kyoto Protocol.
"We also see (in China) a more mature type of investment across the finance spectrum including public market and venture capitals," Usher said in a phone interview.
Chris Greenwood, director of operations in New Energy Finance who co-authored the report, added that State incentives also played a key role. He particularly referred to the government's goal of reducing energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent by 2010 from 2005.
The country is expected to continue embracing growth of 30 to 40 percent in sustainable energy investment this year, with more companies going public and the government's target of enhancing solar and wind power capacity, Greenwood estimated.
China aims to supply 15 percent of primary energy through renewable sources by 2020. Installed wind capacity, for example, almost doubled last year to about 2.3 gigawatts from 2005, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
The UNEP report says that while renewable sources today produce about 2 percent of the world's energy, they now account for about 18 percent of global investment in power generation, with wind generation at the forefront.
Solar and biofuel energy technologies grew even more quickly than wind, but from a smaller base, it adds.
It attributes the growth to a combined effect of global concerns over climate change, increasing energy demands and energy security, in addition to persistently high oil prices, growing consumer awareness of energy efficiency and government incentives.
Updated: 2007-06-22 06:47
The nation saw a remarkable investment flow of $9 billion into the renewable energy sector last year, mostly in wind and solar segments, according to a report released yesterday by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
The 46-page analysis says globally, investment in sustainable energy investment climbed from $80 billion in 2005 to $100 billion last year, with unprecedented growth in developing countries, particularly China, India and Brazil.
China, the world's largest producer of renewable energy, took a healthy 9 percent of global investment last year, which was helped by significant asset financing activity in the wind, biomass and waste sectors, the report says.
Eric Usher, head of Renewable Energy Finance at UNEP, told China Daily that growth was led by both the Renewable Energy Law the country promulgated last year and the Clean Development Mechanism, a carbon credit trading system under the Kyoto Protocol.
"We also see (in China) a more mature type of investment across the finance spectrum including public market and venture capitals," Usher said in a phone interview.
Chris Greenwood, director of operations in New Energy Finance who co-authored the report, added that State incentives also played a key role. He particularly referred to the government's goal of reducing energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent by 2010 from 2005.
The country is expected to continue embracing growth of 30 to 40 percent in sustainable energy investment this year, with more companies going public and the government's target of enhancing solar and wind power capacity, Greenwood estimated.
China aims to supply 15 percent of primary energy through renewable sources by 2020. Installed wind capacity, for example, almost doubled last year to about 2.3 gigawatts from 2005, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
The UNEP report says that while renewable sources today produce about 2 percent of the world's energy, they now account for about 18 percent of global investment in power generation, with wind generation at the forefront.
Solar and biofuel energy technologies grew even more quickly than wind, but from a smaller base, it adds.
It attributes the growth to a combined effect of global concerns over climate change, increasing energy demands and energy security, in addition to persistently high oil prices, growing consumer awareness of energy efficiency and government incentives.
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