Coal-shunning China explores solar power, alternative energy solutions to beat pollution [View all]

[kristopher]

Coal-shunning China explores solar power, alternative energy solutions to beat pollution
Clean-energy alternative comes into play as the central government begins phasing out coal-burning plants to meet emissions targets

With solar energy production costs continuing to fall, the market is experiencing what many analysts are calling a boom. In many parts of the world, solar power is now cheaper than diesel oil, gas, coal or nuclear energy.


....Yang believes the future of clean energy will move away from large-scale power generation projects towards microscale power generation near the point of consumption. “This will take the form of things like rooftop and building-integrated solar. It just makes sense economically and in terms of infrastructure to get away from generating power hundreds or thousands of kilometres away from the point of consumption. With China’s unprecedented urbanisation boom, there is a golden opportunity to integrate solar into new building construction.

“We’ve coined the term ‘mobile energy’ [to convey] the idea that we’re getting away from grid-tied dependence and are moving towards an era where every household has the potential to generate enough power to fulfil its needs,” Yang says, adding that thin-film technology allows people to generate power wherever they go. This is the trend that he sees moving forward, and one that Hanergy intends to lead in order to rediscover blue skies across China.

The market for clean-energy technologies is massive, and there is plenty of space for cooperation across sectors and industries. While the use of renewables increases, so too will public awareness, which will push up demand at a grassroots level.

http://www.scmp.com/article/topics/invest-china/1781627/coal-shunning-china-explores-solar-power-alternative-energy-solutions-beat-pollution