The Cost of Solar Power Drops
June 16, 2011 No CommentsAccording to the Stdaily, the cost of PV power in China has dropped 50% in the last three years. The cost of solar power has dropped below RMB 1 per kilowatt, while the cost of PV manufacture has dropped below RMB 0.73, without considering land cost.
However, solar power electricity prices are still three to four times higher than coalpowered electricity, and 50% more than wind power electricity price. There are two main policies that support China’s solar power industry: electricity price subsidy to large scale solar power stations; and financial subsidies mostlyto roof PV power system projects and the other application projects.
The National Energy Board (NEB) states that during the 12th five-year plan, solar power electricity will be implemented throughout China on a large scale. The plan includes speeding up the construction of solar power stations in west China, which includes Xizang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Yunnan and etc. The total capacity will be upwards of 5GW. Secondly, encourage and spread roof PV power projects in economic development zones and industrial park areas. Thirdly, the government will choose 100 new energy model cities and 200 green energy model counties to explore coordinated and balanced development between PV power and smart grid distribution.
By the year of 2015, the total capacity of solar power will reach 10GW, made up of:: 6.5GW large scale solar power stations, 3GW distributed PV projects and 0.5GW off-grid solar power systems.
Other NEB stories:
China’s Nuclear Approvals To Resume This August?
Energy Policy, Solar
