SOLAR MAGMost of the time, even though solar power is generated in the form of photovoltaic panels. But solar power is NOT equal to photovoltaic power. In general, photovoltaic power is considered as the main form of solar power and has accounted for the vast majority of solar power in almost every country. While solar thermal power is at a low level of development on the whole.
As an energy superpower, China is one of the most active photovoltaic participants in the world. Some recent data indicate that China’s newly installed photovoltaic power capacity in 2016 may exceed 19GW, which would transform China into the world’s largest photovoltaic market. However, the development of the photovoltaic industry in China has suffered many difficulties and challenges in the past several years. In order to boost the solar power industry to the next level as well as minimize the risks among, China's National Energy Administration has lately announced the National Solar Thermal Power Demonstration Project.
This project has approved the first batch of solar thermal power demonstration plants. These plants total 20, recommended by relevant local development and reform commissions (or local energy boards) and then reviewed by the National Energy Administration, are expected to reach a total capacity of 1.35GWs. It is reported that these plants would be located in Qinghai, Gansu, Hebei, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
The National Energy Administration also requires that these demonstration plants should be completed filing before September 30, and started construction as soon as possible. Relevant local development and reform commissions (or local energy boards) ought to track project progress in time and submit relevant updates to the National Energy Administration quarterly. Those aren’t able to be completed filing or started construction in a short time are required to be reported to the National Energy Administration for further processing. Each demonstration plant should in principle be put into operation before the end of 2018. And after completion, these plants should send the inspection schemes to their local development and reform commissions (or local energy boards). The commissions or energy boards and the agencies dispatched by the National Energy Administration would get to the plants for final inspections, then submit the reports to the Administration for approval. comment↓
For the development of solar thermal power is in the phase of gradually exploring, most countries choose being cautious about the investment. China's National Energy Administration also pointed out that to keep advancing in the technology and guarantee the industrialization development of these demonstration plants, and to avoid unscientific investment and low-level repetitive construction, any solar thermal power generation projects should be included in the National Solar Thermal Power Demonstration Project to be achieved unified management during the thirteenth Five-Year Plan period. Only those absorbed into the list of demonstration projects can receive subsidies from the government.
