China Renewable Energy Industry Report: Oct. 18

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Oct. 18 – This is a regular series of relevant industry news from around China.

Japanese scientists see huge solar potential in Himalayas
According to Japanese researchers the Himalayas could become one of the hot spots for solar power development in the future.

A team of researchers have found that some of the coldest and highest places around the globe have better solar resource than some deserts. The Andes and Antarctica are among the other cold regions with solar power potential, according to the research.

The scientists warn that installing solar systems in the Himalayas would be difficult and that factors such as snowfalls and transmission losses should be considered, but say that the region is attractive due to the large energy needs of nearby countries such as China and India.

China’s feed-in tariff spurs growth in domestic photovoltaic projects
The photovoltaic market in China will grow 230 percent on the year to 1.6 gigawatts in 2011, driven by the growth in project development with the launch of China’s national photovoltaic feed-in tariff in July, according to a report by industry researcher Solarbuzz.

The first edition of the China Deal Tracker report, which studies project activity in the non-residential segment finds that, as of September 30, the non-residential photovoltaic project pipeline in China grew to 14 gigawatts.

The report lists 1,007 non-residential projects in China, including projects installed, under construction or development. Projects of more than 1.0 megawatt take the main segment of the market in terms of capacity. Installed system prices of ground-mounted projects above 10 megawatts are now below RMB15 (US$2.4) per watt and are continuing to decline.

Leading project developers, according to the report, are state-owned entities, with the leading 10 companies making 9.7 megawatts of the total project pipeline. The main module suppliers in terms of megawatts are Suntech, Yingli, GC Solar and Shanghai Aerospace Automobile Electromechanical, and Sungrow Power Supply is the leading inverter supplier.

China Longyuan wind power output surges 64.7 percent year-on-year in Sept. 2011
Wind farm developer and operator China Longyuan Power Group Corp saw its wind power generation for September 2011 grow by 64.66 percent on the year to 1,043,153 MWh.

Output from other renewables was up 51.33 percent to 15,343 MWh, while coal power generation grew 6.95 percent to 930,704 MWh. Total power output for September was 1,989,200 MWh, up 31.4 percent in annual terms.

In the first nine months of the year, China Longyuan booked power generation of 18,582,170 MWh, up 21.56 percent year-on-year. Wind power brought more than half of the amount or 9,563,917 MWh.

Voltaix opens Chinese office
Voltaix LLC, a U.S. producer of materials designed to improve the performance of semiconductor chips and solar cells, on October 7 said that it had opened a sales and support office in Shanghai, China.

The company has appointed Yun Liu as its Asian business manager and first employee in China. Coming from a “large industrial gas company,” Yun will have responsibility for executing Voltaix’s regional sales and marketing policy.

The move comes as Voltaix’s global sales and marketing director, Greg Muhr, said the growth of the company’s products for use in the solar and semiconductor industries in China was expected to persist “well into the future.”

China, Myanmar to partner on shelved hydropower project in Myanmar
China and Myanmar have agreed to resolve the issues related to a halted joint hydropower project in Myanmar, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on October 10.

The 6.0 gigawatt Myitsone Project started in December 2009 and was scheduled to be completed in 2019. It was expected to generate 29,400 million kWh a year when operational. However, Myanmar suspended the project in September.

The two countries also committed to improve bilateral cooperation to bring mutual benefits.

Yingli Green introduces new limited warranty on photovoltaic modules products
Chinese solar energy firm Yingli Green Energy Holding Co Ltd unveiled on October 10 new warranty terms for its photovoltaic modules offering valid for products manufactured after October 1, 2011.

The company’s monocrystalline Panda photovoltaic modules will come with a standard power performance warranty providing 98 percent of nameplate power for the first year, 92 percent for 10 years and 82 percent for a period of 25 years.

Yingli’s standard power performance warranty for its multicrystalline photovoltaic modules will guarantee 91.2 percent of nameplate power for 10 years and 80.7 percent for a period of 25 years.

The company will also offer a linear-based extended warranty guaranteeing power output for each year of the 25-year warranty period.

Yingli said it was also extending the limited product warranty for its photovoltaic module offerings to 10 from 5 years.

China Longyuan gets nod to build 49.5-megawatt wind farm in Jilin
China Longyuan Power Group Corp said on October 10 it had received the green light by the Jilin Development and Reform Commission to build a 49.5-megawatt wind power project in the province.

The wind farm will be located in Nong’an County, Changchun.

In a separate statement released on the same day, the wind farm developer and operator said its power output for the nine months through September had grown by 21.56 percent year-on-year to 18,582,170 MWh. Wind power brought more than half of the amount or 9,563,917 MWh.

China Yangtze projects 9.3 percent drop in nine-month power generation
Hydropower producer China Yangtze Power said it expected its power output for the nine months through September to be down 9.3 percent on the year to 72.83 TWh.

The forecast is motivated by a 25 percent decline in the water volume from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, compared to the average level in previous years, the company said.

Powerway to provide mounting systems for solar project in Qinghai
Chinese solar power company Powerway said on October 11 it would supply solar mounting systems for a project in Yushu, Qinghai Province.

The project is estimated to produce enough electricity to power three primary schools in the region and 190 local households.

Powerway said it had modified its aluminum mounting system so as to enhance the installation’s power generation efficiency and trim energy loss.

Israel Electric to set up US$1.3 billion solar complex in China
State-owned electricity supplier Israel Electric Corp (IEC) will construct a solar power complex in northern China worth US$1.3 billion, Israeli financial newspaper Globes said.

The project is reportedly the utility’s first investment in solar power and its biggest foreign project. IEC’s participation is pending the green light by Israel’s Government Companies Authority. According to the report, the finance ministry has banned IEC from entry into new fields until talks on a company restructuring have been finalized.

The solar project will include three solar photovoltaic arrays worth a total of US$750 million. IEC will also build rooftop solar systems for another US$540 million. The modules for all installations will come from a Chinese sector firm, the newspaper said, without providing further details.

IEC will own a 50 percent interest in the engineering, procurement and construction firm for the project. To meet Chinese regulations, 25 percent in the company will be in the hands of the Chinese partner, while the remaining 25 percent will be held by a foreign solar photovoltaic contractor.

China Singyes Solar awards 6 million share options
Renewable energy system integrator China Singyes Solar Technologies said it had granted to eligible persons 6 million share options, under its share option scheme from December 2008.

The options can be exercised at a price of HK$3.22 (US$0.414) a share. The exercise price is equal to the closing price of the company’s stock on the date of the grant.

No options have been awarded to directors of the company, its CEO or any substantial shareholder, Singyes Solar said.

JinkoSolar restores operations at Zhejiang solar cell plant
Chinese solar product maker JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd on October 11 said it had resumed operations at its solar cell factory in Haining, Zhejiang Province.

Operations at the facility were suspended on September 17 due to a pollution incident that sparked protests by local residents. According to Jinko, fluoride was released into a nearby river after heavy rains.

The company said it had taken measures to upgrade its environmental protection practices. It is also progressing with the selection of an environment, health and safety company to conduct a full scale audit of all production plants.

CTDC to install 10.8-megawatt solar system for Goldpoly New Energy
Solar power solutions provider China Technology Development Group said on October 14 it had won a contract from Chinese Goldpoly New Energy to build a 10.8-megawatt rooftop solar system.

CTDC’s subsidiary Trendar Solar will design, build, run and maintain the installation. Construction of the solar facility calls for an investment of RMB164 million (US$26 million), CTDC said. China’s Ministry of Finance has provided an RMB97.2 million (US$15.21 million) subsidy to the project under an existing solar power initiative.

Completion of the solar power system is scheduled for June 2012. The solar modules will be mounted on the roof of a factory owned by Goldpoly’s subsidiary Goldpoly (Quanzhou) Science and Technology Industry. When up and running, the solar facility is estimated to produce 10 million kWh a year, covering around 30 percent of the factory’s annual power consumption.

Suntech eyes 10 gigawatts of installed capacity in two years
Chinese solar products maker Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd said on October 14 it has targeted 10 gigawatts of installed capacity in the next two years.

Since the company’s inception in 2001 some 5 gigawatts of its solar panels have been installed globally, Suntech added.

Zhengrong Shi, Suntech’s founder and CEO, added that the company seeks to reach retail grid parity in 50 percent of global markets by 2015.

At the end of June 2011, Suntech had 2.4 gigawatts of photovoltaic cell and module production capacity and 1.2 gigawatts of silicon ingot and wafer capacity. It posted second-quarter sales of US$830.7 million, up 32.9 percent year-over-year.

This industry report brief is courtesy of AII Data Processing.

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