Page 36 - A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Energy Systems

30 A COMPrEHENSIVE GUIDE TO SOlAr ENErGY SYSTEMS

NDrC has stated the principle that TiT levels will be decreased over time. The likeli-
hood of lowering the price subsidy for distributed PV in the future cannot be ruled out.
Furthermore, being pegged to the feed-in benchmark prices for coal-fired power implies a
downward trend embodied in the prices of distributed PV power because the benchmark
prices of coal-fired electricity have witnessed reductions over the past few years.

2.3.4 Special Projects
A few schemes had been implemented in the pre-2015 years to motivate the develop-
ment of utility-scale PV, rooftop PV in urban areas, and other types of distributed PV for
microgrid and off-grid applications in the unelectrified areas. The schemes launched by
the central government mainly included Golden Sun Demonstration Scheme and Photo-
voltaic Architecture schemes.
The Golden Sun Demonstration Scheme and Photovoltaic Architecture program were
carried out over 2009–14, by providing subsidies for the initial investment of PV projects,
using funds from the rEDF. The Photovoltaic Architecture projects could obtain a subsidy
−1
of rMB yuan 15–20 W . For Golden Sun Demonstration projects, the subsidy for on-grid
PV systems accounted for approximately 50% in the total system investment (including
the matching transmission and distribution project), and 70% for off-grid systems.
Besides, the Three-year Action Plan for Non-electrical Population was implemented
over the period from 2013 to 2015, providing electricity for the last 2.73 million people
who were living in areas not connected to the electricity grid, and serving 43.6% of these
people by independent PV systems. The independent PV systems were invested by private
investors, and the local government provided subsidies for the system maintenance and
cell replacement.

2.4 Future Solar Energy in China

China’s climate change mitigation targets are to achieve a share of at least 15% for nonfos-
sil energy with regard to primary energy consumption by 2020, and 20% by the year 2030.
This has pushed China to boost its development of renewable forms of energy.

2.4.1 Development Target
The 13th version of China’s five-year energy plan sets targets of 335 GW installations (not
including hydropower) for renewable power and 105 GW for PV power (concentrated
45 GW + distributed 60 GW) by the year 2020 (Table 2.7). The targeted PV capacity was
expected to produce 124.5 TW h of energy (or 36.73 × 10 t coal equivalent). The proportion
6
of solar PV power will be 5.3% with regard to total installed generation capacity by 2020,
increased from a level of 2.8% in 2015, and to 1.8% from 0.7% in electricity output.
The target for solar energy requires China installing approximately 13 GW of PV systems
every year over the period of 2015–20. This seems achievable by 2020 and may even be
exceeded because the cumulated capacity of PV installations in China had already reached