China's National Development and Reform Commission has just published the Renewable Energy Development Plan for the 11th Five-year Period in which it says that the country's renewable energy consumption shall account for 10% of the total energy consumption by 2010, which is an increase of 2.5% over that of 2005.
The Plan says that developing renewable energy has become an important way to solve energy shortages, reduce environmental pollution and increase farmers' income. It puts forward a general goal for renewable energy development during the 11th Five-year Period, which is, to speed up the exploitation and utility of renewable energy; increase the proportion of renewable energy in the total energy consumption; solve the fuel shortage for rural populations which have no access to electricity; promote the development of renewable energy technology and industry and advance the research and industrialization level of renewable technology.
For hydropower, China will increase 73 million kilowatt hydropower capacity during the 11th Five-year Period and bring its total hydropower capacity to 190 million kilowatt. Regarding bio mass energy, the country will bring its bio mass power capacity to 5.5 kilowatt by 2010, adding 2 million tons of use of non-grain feedstock fuel ethanol each year, building 400 million methane sinks for rural residents and using up to 1 million agricultural and forest bio mass solid fuel.
In addition, during the 11th Five-year Period, China will add about 9 million kilowatt wind power capacity and make its total wind power production to an annual of 10 million kilowatt by 2010. During the period, the country will build about 30 large wind power plants and five wind power bases with a million kilowatt capacity. For solar energy, China will make its solar power heater installation reach 150 million square meters and solar power capacity up to 300,000 kilowatt by 2010.
Concerned government departments in China will make management measures and guidelines for the use of the special funds for renewable energy development and arrange necessary financial support for it. In the meantime, the national government will offer preferential taxation policies to the exploitation and utility services of renewable energy.
