China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has approved 22.78 GW of feed-in tariff (FiT) based solar projects. These solar PV projects are expected to be grid-connected by December 2019. They have been approved under China’s first national unified bidding for solar projects seeking feed-in-tariffs. A total of 4,338 solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 24.55 GW were proposed to be developed, but only 3,921 projects totaling 22.78 GW have received the official approval. Apart from these, 417 proposed solar projects with a capacity of approximately 1.77 GW have not been approved. Out of the approved projects, 366 are ground-mounted utility-scale solar projects with a total capacity of 18.12 GW. Moreover, 473 of them are distributed generation solar projects totaling 0.56 GW while 3,082 are self-generation or excess capacity solar projects totaling 4.10 GW. The feed-in-tariffs approved range from RMB 0.2795 ($0.0406)/kWh to RMB 0.55 ($0.08)/kWh. The average submitted tariff was RMB 0.3281 ($0.0478)/kWh, and the official deadline of the approved 22.78 GW is set for December 31, 2019. If the grid connection takes place in 2020, the approved tariffs will be reduced by RMB 0.01 ($0.001)/kWh each quarter up to the second quarter of 2020. If solar PV projects are connected after June 30, 2020, the approved feed-in-tariff will be revoked, and the projects would stand canceled. In May 2019, the Price Bureau of China’s National Development and Reform Commission had announced the level of solar FiT payments for large-scale projects. For the ease of implementation, the country had been broadly categorized into three regions: Region 1, 2, and 3. In the 2019 bidding process, 23 provinces had participated. The most favored destination is Guizhou Province with more than 3.6 GW, followed by Shaanxi Province with more than 3 GW, and 13 other provinces, each with more than 1 GW to be installed. Gansu Province and Xinjiang Autonomous Region were not allowed to participate due to the prevailing grid curtailment issues. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Yunnan, and Hainan did not join this bidding process, mainly due to limited grid capacities. According to Frank Haugwitz of Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory (AECEA), larger projects were allowed to submit competitive tariffs with the lowest at RMB 0.2795. “Given the 2019 results, it appears that the single most important evaluation criterion was the feed-in-tariff submitted by the developers. It is possible that during the 2020 bidding, other factors might be taken into account when evaluating submitted bids in an attempt to increase the share of distributed projects,” he added. According to Frank’s communique, “In light of the 22.78 GW of feed-in-tariff supported projects approved, AECEA has increased its 2019 full-year guidance from 32-34 GW to 38-42 GW, thus still representing a decline of approximately 5-14% year-over-year. AECEA’s forecast takes into account the feed-in-tariff, grid-parity, residential, poverty alleviation, top-runner, and demonstration projects along ultra-high voltage long-distance transmission lines. According to China’s National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC) data, between January and May 2019, a total of 7.61 GW of solar PV projects were installed, representing a decrease of 44% year-over-year (YoY). Ground-mounted utility-scale projects amounted to 3.83 GW (+9% YoY), and distributed projects totaled 3.27 GW (-61% YoY). In May, only 1.43 GW of solar capacity was installed, a decline of 42% YoY. The CNREC estimates that in June, possibly 5 GW could be installed, leading to approximately 12.6 GW during the first half of 2019. Compared with the 24.30 GW capacity installed during the same period in 2018, this will represent a decrease of approximately 52% YoY. At the end of May 2019, China was home to 182.07 GW of total installed solar power generation capacity comprising 127.68 GW (70.2%) of ground-mounted utility-scale projects and 54.39 GW (29.8%) of distributed generation. Mercom recently reported that China installed 5.2 GW of solar PV capacity in the first quarter of 2019. When compared to Q1 2018, this was nearly a 40% decline in the installation numbers in which China had installed 9.65 GW of solar PV capacity.

China Approves Nearly 23 GW of Solar Projects Based on Feed-in Tariff Mechanism

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has approved 22.78 GW of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) based solar projects. These solar PV projects are expected to be grid-connected by December 2019. They ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China’s Cumulative Installed Solar Capacity Stands at Nearly 180 GW_ NEA

China’s Cumulative Installed Solar Capacity Stands at Nearly 180 GW: NEA

The National Energy Association’s (NEA) figures suggest that at the end of March 2019, China’s solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation reached 179.7 GW, an increase of 28% year-on-year, with the ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Allocates $435 Million for Solar Project Subsidies in 2019

China Allocates $435 Million for Solar Project Subsidies in 2019

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has confirmed that it will allocate approximately RMB 3 billion ($435 million) for solar projects this year. This is the first time that the country ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Approves Over 20 GW of Subsidy-Free Wind and Solar Projects

China Approves Over 20 GW of Subsidy-Free Wind and Solar Projects

China has approved over 20 GW of solar and wind projects as part of its plan to install unsubsidized renewable energy projects in the country. This first batch of subsidy-free ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
SOLAR INSTALLATIONS FORECAST

Solar Installations in the United States Hit 2 Million Mark: Report

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and energy research firm Wood Mackenzie have pegged the United State’s total solar installations at more than 2 million. The report added that the electricity ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Uttar Pradesh to Charge Developers for Under and Over Generation of Solar and Wind Power

China Plans to Prioritize Non-Subsidized Wind and Solar Projects

China is prioritizing unsubsidized wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), has organized and drafted a project report on promoting non-subsidized affordable projects for wind and ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
88 Solar Projects Likely to be Added to Vietnam’s National Grid by June 2019

China Installs Better than Expected 44 GW of Solar Capacity in CY 2018

In the calendar year (CY) 2018, China installed 44.26 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity.  The country installed 9.76 GW of solar PV capacity in the fourth quarter of CY 2018 ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Month in a Minute: Important News from the Indian Solar Industry in August 2018

China Adds 34.5 GW of Solar Capacity in the First Three Quarters of 2018, a 20% Drop

China added 34.5 GW of solar PV capacity in the first three quarters of 2018. This takes China’s total installed solar PV capacity to 164.74 GW, of which 117.9 GW ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
USTDA Funds Feasibility Study to Assess Viability of a 100 MW Solar Project in Mozambique

China’s Solar Subsidy Backlog Estimated to be Approximately $17.4 Billion

Many solar power projects in Ningxia, in the northwestern region of China, are finding it difficult to stay afloat, according to a report published by Reuters. These projects may face ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
USTDA Funds Feasibility Study to Assess Viability of a 100 MW Solar Project in Mozambique

China Added 24.3 GW of Solar Capacity in the First Half Of 2018

China added 24.3 GW of solar PV capacity in the first half (1H) of 2018. This takes China’s total installed solar PV capacity to 154.51 GW, out of which 112.6 ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China’s Solar PV Installations Reach Almost 10 GW in Q1 of 2018

China’s Solar PV Installations Reach Almost 10 GW in Q1 of 2018

China’s solar industry continues to grow with the addition of 9.65 GW of solar PV capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of 2018. According to the data released by the ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Installs Record 53 GW of Solar PV in 2017

China Installs Record 53 GW of Solar PV in 2017

The year 2017 proved to be an outstanding one for China’s solar industry. The country added an astounding 53.06 GW in solar installations a 54 percent Year over Year (YoY) ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Solar Installations AECEA

Solar Installations in China Totalled 35 GW at the End of July, More Than All of 2016

According to recent energy statistics, China installed 34.92 GW of solar from January 2017 to July 2017, exceeding last year’s installation total of 34.54 GW by approximately 380 MW. As a ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Installs 24.4 GW of Solar in H1 2017

China Installs 24.4 GW of Solar in 1H 2017

China further consolidated its topmost ranking as the largest installer of solar projects in the world by installing 24.4 GW of solar projects in the first half of 2017. With ...
/ / Solar, Utility Scale