slurry consumption per unit with various
techniques. The third way is to decrease the
thickness of the silicon wafers. Over the past
three decades, silicon wafer thickness has
been reduced from 450–500 lm in the1970s
to 180–200 lm today, lowering cell production costs by more than half.
Third, integrated solar PV power plants will
become larger. Building-integrated PV systems
are already widely deployed and the number of
off-grid PV systems will grow. PV power plants
with a capacity of more than 1 GW are already
under construction. Building-integrated PV systems provide numerous benefits, including small
footprint, lower investment costs, low transmission losses, low aesthetic impact and high energy
efficiency. They are often located in load centres
and easy to integrate with the local grid. Off-grid
PV systems will be more widely deployed in
remote regions without access to electricity.
Fourth, large-scale CSP technology will shift
gradually from trough to tower and other technologies with a high concentration ratio and high
conversion efficiency.
There is much scope for the future development of CSP technologies. Better efficiency and
improved cost effectiveness are two examples of
areas of focus. Tower CSP technology, with its
high concentration ratio, large system capacity
and high efficiency, is a hot area of R&D at
present. Tower CSP is expected to become the
main CSP technology, enabling the large-scale
development of CSP across the globe. Dish
Stirling technology also has a high efficiency
level and will probably be used in distributed
power systems in the future.
Large capacity and low heat storage costs is
the way to improve CSP system efficiency. R&D
currently focuses on: (i) improving power generation efficiency by increasing the system
operating temperature or expanding plant
capacity or reducing heat loss from the heat
absorbers; (ii) reducing solar island costs by
lowering equipment expenditure and optimising
design; (iii) using high-capacity heat storage to
ensure 24/7 electricity supply and meet grid
requirements; and (iv) reducing plant energy and
water consumption.
6.2.2 Current Developments
and Difficulties in China’s
New Energy Sector
(1) Development environment for China’s
new energy technologies
First, China’s installed capacity of new energy
increased substantially to 237,720 MW in 2016,
accounting for 14% of the country’s total. In 16
provinces, new energy has become the second
largest energy form. The grid-connected capacity
of wind, solar and biomass reached
148,640 MW, 77,420 MW and 11,660 MW
respectively, accounting for 62%, 33% and 5%
of the total installed capacity of integrated new
energy.
52 Newly added installed capacity of solar
PV exceeded that of wind power for the first time
and contributed half of new PV installed capacity
worldwide. China passed the USA to become the
leader in wind power output for the first time.
China has ranked first as the country that adds
the most wind and solar PV installed capacity
annually for many years.
Second, the technical standards for new
energy are gradually being developed. The
National Energy Administration founded the
Wind Power Technical Committee for Standardisation in the Energy Industry in 2011 and
issued the Framework of Wind Power Standards
System,
53 which covers the following aspects:
wind farm planning, design, construction,
installation, operation, maintenance and management; wind power connection management
technologies; wind machinery and equipment,
and wind power electrical equipment. In 2014,
the Standardisation Administration of China
52
White Paper of State Grid Corporation of China on New
Energy Development 2017, pp. 4–11.
53
Notice from NEA on Printing and Distributing the Rules
on Development of Wind Power Standards, Articles of
Association of Wind Power Technical Committee for
Standardisation in the Energy Industry and Framework of
Wind Power Standards System (Guo Neng Ke Ji, 2010,
No. 162).
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
343
techniques. The third way is to decrease the
thickness of the silicon wafers. Over the past
three decades, silicon wafer thickness has
been reduced from 450–500 lm in the1970s
to 180–200 lm today, lowering cell production costs by more than half.
Third, integrated solar PV power plants will
become larger. Building-integrated PV systems
are already widely deployed and the number of
off-grid PV systems will grow. PV power plants
with a capacity of more than 1 GW are already
under construction. Building-integrated PV systems provide numerous benefits, including small
footprint, lower investment costs, low transmission losses, low aesthetic impact and high energy
efficiency. They are often located in load centres
and easy to integrate with the local grid. Off-grid
PV systems will be more widely deployed in
remote regions without access to electricity.
Fourth, large-scale CSP technology will shift
gradually from trough to tower and other technologies with a high concentration ratio and high
conversion efficiency.
There is much scope for the future development of CSP technologies. Better efficiency and
improved cost effectiveness are two examples of
areas of focus. Tower CSP technology, with its
high concentration ratio, large system capacity
and high efficiency, is a hot area of R&D at
present. Tower CSP is expected to become the
main CSP technology, enabling the large-scale
development of CSP across the globe. Dish
Stirling technology also has a high efficiency
level and will probably be used in distributed
power systems in the future.
Large capacity and low heat storage costs is
the way to improve CSP system efficiency. R&D
currently focuses on: (i) improving power generation efficiency by increasing the system
operating temperature or expanding plant
capacity or reducing heat loss from the heat
absorbers; (ii) reducing solar island costs by
lowering equipment expenditure and optimising
design; (iii) using high-capacity heat storage to
ensure 24/7 electricity supply and meet grid
requirements; and (iv) reducing plant energy and
water consumption.
6.2.2 Current Developments
and Difficulties in China’s
New Energy Sector
(1) Development environment for China’s
new energy technologies
First, China’s installed capacity of new energy
increased substantially to 237,720 MW in 2016,
accounting for 14% of the country’s total. In 16
provinces, new energy has become the second
largest energy form. The grid-connected capacity
of wind, solar and biomass reached
148,640 MW, 77,420 MW and 11,660 MW
respectively, accounting for 62%, 33% and 5%
of the total installed capacity of integrated new
energy.
52 Newly added installed capacity of solar
PV exceeded that of wind power for the first time
and contributed half of new PV installed capacity
worldwide. China passed the USA to become the
leader in wind power output for the first time.
China has ranked first as the country that adds
the most wind and solar PV installed capacity
annually for many years.
Second, the technical standards for new
energy are gradually being developed. The
National Energy Administration founded the
Wind Power Technical Committee for Standardisation in the Energy Industry in 2011 and
issued the Framework of Wind Power Standards
System,
53 which covers the following aspects:
wind farm planning, design, construction,
installation, operation, maintenance and management; wind power connection management
technologies; wind machinery and equipment,
and wind power electrical equipment. In 2014,
the Standardisation Administration of China
52
White Paper of State Grid Corporation of China on New
Energy Development 2017, pp. 4–11.
53
Notice from NEA on Printing and Distributing the Rules
on Development of Wind Power Standards, Articles of
Association of Wind Power Technical Committee for
Standardisation in the Energy Industry and Framework of
Wind Power Standards System (Guo Neng Ke Ji, 2010,
No. 162).
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
343