issued seven national standards on solar power
generation, which cover quality and performance
testing of solar cells.
(2) Current development of China’s new
energy technologies
First, wind power technologies. China has localised megawatt-level wind turbine design and
manufacturing technology in place for the whole
wind power value chain. Several Chinese wind
power businesses are among the world’s top 10.
The technical level and reliability of Chinese
wind power equipment is world-class. Up to
now, China has focused on the design and
manufacture of wind turbines and turbine components below 3.6 MW but is now developing
technologies for turbines of 5 and 6 MW.
The rotor diameter of low-velocity wind turbines continues to increase. The regions with low
wind velocity in central and east China have
become new hotspots for wind power development. Large-scale development of wind parks in
those regions needs low-velocity wind turbine
technology. A range of ultralow-velocity wind
turbines was launched in 2013. Low-velocity
wind areas account for more than 60% of China’s
exploitable wind resources.
Second,
solar
PV
technologies.
A world-leading complete PV value chain covering polycrystalline silicon purification, silicon
rods, ingots and wafers, as well as cells, panels
and system integration, has taken shape in China
and is expanding rapidly. PV power generation
has become a strategic, emerging and internationally competitive industry for China. In 2015,
China had 16 polycrystalline silicon companies,
with a total production capacity of 190,000 tonnes (excluding metallurgy)—they produced
165,000 tonnes of polycrystalline silicon, which
was 47.8% of global output. Four of them are in
the global top 10 in terms of production capacity.
China’s total silicon wafer production capacity in
2015 was 64.3 GW, with output reaching 48
GW, 26.3% higher than the previous year and
79.6% of the global total. Of the 10 largest silicon wafer manufacturers in the world, nine are in
mainland China. China’s crystalline silicon cell
production capacity in 2015 was 49 GW, with
output 41 GW, 24.2% higher than the previous
year and about 66% of the global total. Among
the top 10 cell manufacturers (in terms of output)
in the world, seven are in mainland China. Total
solar panel production capacity in China in 2015
was more than 71 GW, and output 45.8 GW.
Among the top 10 panel manufacturers (in terms
of output) in the world, six are in mainland
China.
54
Third, CSP technologies. CSP plants generally consist of concentration, heat absorption, a
thermodynamic power cycle, power generation
and heat storage systems. Key equipment
includes concentrating mirrors, heat collectors
and a heat storage system. Technology development in concentrating mirrors is focused on
improving the durability and precision of the
reflective materials. Heat collectors influence
heat absorption efficiency and include evacuated
collector tubes and chamber absorbers. The heat
storage system—which comprises heat transfer
fluid, molten salt and metal materials—is the key
to large-scale and uninterrupted operation of a
CSP system.
Generally, more than 90% of the equipment
and materials used by CSP plants are manufactured in China and at a technical level very close
to world-class. China lacks only long-term
operational experience. However, core components and materials like trough ball joints, tower
CSP tubes, high-temperature molten salt and
molten salt pumps still need to be imported.
(3) Problems with China’s new energy
technologies
First, basic research on wind power is insufficient
in China. Key equipment and materials are still
imported. China’s route to progress in wind
power technologies is through introduction,
digestion, absorption, integration and innovation.
54
China Photovoltaic Industry Association, Roadmap for
China’s PV Industry, 2016, pp. 2–4.
344
S. Zifeng and N. Dickens
generation, which cover quality and performance
testing of solar cells.
(2) Current development of China’s new
energy technologies
First, wind power technologies. China has localised megawatt-level wind turbine design and
manufacturing technology in place for the whole
wind power value chain. Several Chinese wind
power businesses are among the world’s top 10.
The technical level and reliability of Chinese
wind power equipment is world-class. Up to
now, China has focused on the design and
manufacture of wind turbines and turbine components below 3.6 MW but is now developing
technologies for turbines of 5 and 6 MW.
The rotor diameter of low-velocity wind turbines continues to increase. The regions with low
wind velocity in central and east China have
become new hotspots for wind power development. Large-scale development of wind parks in
those regions needs low-velocity wind turbine
technology. A range of ultralow-velocity wind
turbines was launched in 2013. Low-velocity
wind areas account for more than 60% of China’s
exploitable wind resources.
Second,
solar
PV
technologies.
A world-leading complete PV value chain covering polycrystalline silicon purification, silicon
rods, ingots and wafers, as well as cells, panels
and system integration, has taken shape in China
and is expanding rapidly. PV power generation
has become a strategic, emerging and internationally competitive industry for China. In 2015,
China had 16 polycrystalline silicon companies,
with a total production capacity of 190,000 tonnes (excluding metallurgy)—they produced
165,000 tonnes of polycrystalline silicon, which
was 47.8% of global output. Four of them are in
the global top 10 in terms of production capacity.
China’s total silicon wafer production capacity in
2015 was 64.3 GW, with output reaching 48
GW, 26.3% higher than the previous year and
79.6% of the global total. Of the 10 largest silicon wafer manufacturers in the world, nine are in
mainland China. China’s crystalline silicon cell
production capacity in 2015 was 49 GW, with
output 41 GW, 24.2% higher than the previous
year and about 66% of the global total. Among
the top 10 cell manufacturers (in terms of output)
in the world, seven are in mainland China. Total
solar panel production capacity in China in 2015
was more than 71 GW, and output 45.8 GW.
Among the top 10 panel manufacturers (in terms
of output) in the world, six are in mainland
China.
54
Third, CSP technologies. CSP plants generally consist of concentration, heat absorption, a
thermodynamic power cycle, power generation
and heat storage systems. Key equipment
includes concentrating mirrors, heat collectors
and a heat storage system. Technology development in concentrating mirrors is focused on
improving the durability and precision of the
reflective materials. Heat collectors influence
heat absorption efficiency and include evacuated
collector tubes and chamber absorbers. The heat
storage system—which comprises heat transfer
fluid, molten salt and metal materials—is the key
to large-scale and uninterrupted operation of a
CSP system.
Generally, more than 90% of the equipment
and materials used by CSP plants are manufactured in China and at a technical level very close
to world-class. China lacks only long-term
operational experience. However, core components and materials like trough ball joints, tower
CSP tubes, high-temperature molten salt and
molten salt pumps still need to be imported.
(3) Problems with China’s new energy
technologies
First, basic research on wind power is insufficient
in China. Key equipment and materials are still
imported. China’s route to progress in wind
power technologies is through introduction,
digestion, absorption, integration and innovation.
54
China Photovoltaic Industry Association, Roadmap for
China’s PV Industry, 2016, pp. 2–4.
344
S. Zifeng and N. Dickens