Page 9 - AsiaElec Week 43 2021

AsiaElec RENEWABLES AsiaElec

China adds 25.56 GW of new

solar capacity so far in 2021

CHINA CHINA installed 25.56 GW of new solar capac- GW of capacity by 2021, breaking the 300-GW
ity in the first nine months of 2021, according to barrier.
official figures released by the National Energy Manufacturers in China have reduced pro-
Administration (NEA). duction output due to the high-price regime.
Installations saw a 36.68% year-on-year Of 26 modules and 52 cell production lines, the
increase over the 18.7 GW installed in same average capacity factor was 46% and 43% respec-
three months of 2020. tively. However, the capacity factor of cell lines
In the third quarter of 2021, China added was around 30% higher before the national hol-
12.54 GW of new solar capacity, a growth of iday week.
288.23%, compared with 3.23 GW in Q3-2020. Out of the 30 provinces, 20 provinces and
In September 2021 alone, China installed regions have imposed power restrictions ranging
3.51 GW of new solar capacity, a 14.59% month- from just one or two weeks to several months,
on-month decline compared with 4.11 GW or even until September 2022. However, it is not
installed in the previous month. clear if photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers will be
The country witnessed an installation peak exempted from power restrictions or not, given
in July 2021 and installed 4.93 GW of new solar its strategic relevance and importance.
capacity. In September 2021, rooftop solar installations
The decline in additions in August and Sep- in China stood at 2.14 GW, a 64.61% increase
tember was driven by growing polysilicon prices against 1.3 GW installed in the same period last
and rising solar module costs. year.
According to Asia Europe Clean Energy With this, China installed a total of 11.68 GW
(Solar) Advisory (AECEA), the polysilicon price of rooftop solar capacity in the first nine months
has continuously declined since early 2018 and of 2021.
reached an all-time low level of CNY56 ($8.71) The province of Shanghai led the way with the
per kg in April-May 2020. addition of 699 MW of rooftop solar capacity in
However, the prices have continued to September, followed by Hebei with installations
increase since April 2020, and the latest trans- of 579 MW. The province of Henan added a res-
action price amounted to CNY270 ($42) per kg. idential solar capacity of 323 MW.™
AECEA estimates that China will add 50-55

China firms ups emissions plans

CHINA CHINA has outlined details of its plans to bring upcoming winter. Coal production is already
carbon emissions to a peak before 2030 as part rising in a bid to meet demand for power.
of its wider strategy of reaching net zero by 2060, China’s ability to meet its target for peak
Reuters reported. emissions by 2030 has been doubted by the
The new action plan will focus on reducing International Energy Agency (IEA), which in
waste, promoting renewables and unconven- September said that Beijing must bring forward
tional fuel, and reforming the electricity net- the target date to 2025 if it was to have any chance
work, the government said on October 26. of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060.
Other targets include raising wind and solar The IEA has warned that China needs to
capacity to 1,200 GW by 2030, building hydro harness its potential to speed up the energy
and nuclear plants and further developing nat- transition by bringing forward peak emissions
ural gas resources. The government announced from 2030 to 2025. It could do this by raising
details of its action plan just ahead of the COP26 renewables output seven times, making energy
summit in Glasgow, before which Beijing is set efficiency improvements and reducing coal use.
to announce its updated Nationally Determined As the country’s energy sector is the source of
Contribution (NDC), Reuters reported. almost 90% of its emissions, China needs bring
China, along with South Korea and Japan, forward the date of peak emissions in order to
is one of the leading G20 members not to have secure a 20% drop in emissions by 2030, com-
updated its NDCs this year ahead of COP26. pared to today. This would be a key milestone for
The new proposals come as China deals the world to meet its 1.5-degree climate targets
with anticipated power shortages during the in 2030.™

Week 43 27•October•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9