Policy Signals Point to a New Surge in Solar Power

The article contains a clear message: clean energy, solar included, must have its consumption problem solved, and market-based electricity trading will lean towards absorbing distributed energy. The expectation is that solar plants will soon be able to sell power through market trading and earn additional revenue.

Meanwhile the State Council's Development Research Centre has argued for activating demand for distributed solar. China has fewer than two million rooftop solar users, leaving considerable room to grow, and four directions were proposed: aligning with plans to reduce coal consumption and steadily raising the total volume of distributed solar connected to the grid; strengthening green promotion in rural and commercial markets to advance electrification; upgrading new-energy infrastructure by investing in rural and ageing urban grid renovation and treating roof reinforcement in poor rural areas as part of solar poverty alleviation; and, recognising that distributed solar producers are also consumers, encouraging local initiative through solar poverty alleviation, helping traditional enterprises redeploy idle resources and surplus staff into new energy, and reducing electricity prices for commercial and industrial users.

With the direction of solar power now pointing clearly at rooftops, these four pillars are expected to usher in a new surge in distributed solar.