China has promised to significantly increase renewable energy by 2020 by investing heavily in photovoltaic solar panels. This, along with other green energy initiatives, will see the proportion of renewable energy in China’s energy mix raised from 1.5% to 6%.
An investment of £400 billion pounds will be put forward to ensure that solar energy is introduced throughout the country, from rooftops to full blown solar farms. Solar energy is a costly option, especially compared to the likes of coal, which is abundant in China, however the Chinese governing body responsible for energy has shown that climate change is becoming more and more of an issue that needs to be faced head on.
China, like many Asian countries is feeling the effects of climate change much more strongly than in western Europe and the states, so this decision isn’t entirely a surprise. Also, as China is the world’s biggest manufacturer of solar PV panels and as prices for them have decreased in recent years by as much as 30% due to a higher demand, solar power is the right option for the country.
Although, this huge investment will be good news for China, the problem remains that around 70% of the country’s energy comes from coal and will do so for at the next couple of decades. This means that China will still be the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.
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Tags: china, renewable energy, solar, solar panels