CHINA READY TO BUILD SUN

China May Soon Make Use of Its Solar Assets
Ted Plafker, September 29, 2010 (NY Times)

"China established itself years ago as one of the world’s leading producers of solar energy equipment, and significant portions of the country’s vast landmass enjoy excellent exposure to high-intensity sunlight…[and it is committed] to reduce carbon emissions, decrease dependence on foreign energy supplies and increase the share of renewable resources…[but] has made surprisingly scant use of solar energy…[That] may be set to change.

"…[China] produces between one-third and one-half of the world’s total supply of photovoltaic solar cells. But it accounts for 1 percent to 5 percent of the working installations…[T]he bulk of Chinese manufactured solar energy equipment gets shipped overseas…There are varied reasons…[including] cost and technical constraints. Still, the declining unit cost of solar power production, together with a series of government initiatives, may soon open the door…"

Solar power plants represent only one of China's two immense solar resources. (click to enlarge)

"…[China’s 2009 investment] of $34.6 billion in the renewable energy industry exceeded that of any other country…[But] its green energy push will take a long time to bear fruit. Li Junfeng, deputy director of the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission, the top Chinese governmental planning body, has said…[New Energy will not be he dominant source until 2040 and by 2015] nonfossil fuels would account for no more than 13 percent of Chinese energy consumption.

"…[A] major technical obstacle to wider adoption has been an inability to feed the power generated by solar plants into the regular electricity grid…Photovoltaic, systems, currently the most common sort of system deployed both worldwide and as part of China’s modest existing installed solar capacity…can either [store the electricity] in relatively inefficient batteries or [feed it] immediately into the grid…[S]upply to the grid fluctuates broadly with daylight and cloud cover, and all but the most modern and expensive grid connections have trouble accommodating the irregularity…"

PV potential is the "other" of China's two huge solar resources. (click to enlarge)

"In contrast to photovoltaic systems…solar thermal plants…[focus] sunlight to generate strong heat…[that boils water] to power steam turbines. But the thermal energy can also be stored…That storage capacity grants grid operators more flexibility in accepting the electrical output when it is most needed…

"Similar problems have been a constraining factor plaguing China’s far more developed wind energy sector…Though China’s installed solar base is smaller…[there has been] a large disparity between power output capacity and the ability of the grid to absorb it…[O]nly 200 megawatts out of China’s 4,000 megawatt solar output capacity made it into the grid in 2009…[B]y the time solar output rises to a significant level, the necessary ultrahigh voltage connections may be in place to accommodate it…Despite supportive government policies and improvements in the grid and generation technologies, most analysts agree that lower unit prices [expected by 2012] will be the ultimate key to a genuine solar power takeoff in China…"