China tells counties to power on with small solar projects as state giants eye pilot scheme
- Some lower-level authorities had ordered a halt to their projects in hopes of consolidating and repackaging them for the trial
- But the central government does not think bigger is better, analysts say
China’s National Energy Administration has ordered local governments to press ahead with solar projects already in the works, as it seeks to roll out a pilot programme for rooftop photovoltaic power.
The NEA’s announcement reverses instructions from various lower-level authorities ordering that such projects – many of them small scale – to be put on hold pending consolidation for the pilot scheme.
“Proposed solar projects or projects that are already under construction should continue and should not be halted,” the NEA said in a notice on Friday.
The NEA unveiled the pilot programme late last month,asking provincial authorities to nominate counties for the scheme by Thursday this week.
The programme aims to install solar power equipment on rooftops throughout communities, from government and public buildings to homes and commercial facilities.
The pilot quickly picked up steam, with some local governments announcing an immediate suspension of their existing solar projects to take part.
State power players were also quick to take interest. State Power Investment Corporation – one of China’s five major electricity generation companies – informed its subsidiaries two days after the pilot programme was made public that it already had plans to work with local governments in Henan, Liaoning, Hunan and Hubei provinces.
