Friday, 02 Sep 2011
Bloomberg reported that the Chinese government continues to expand its clean energy production plans to replace increasingly expensive coal power that is shutting down coal plants and causing power shortages of at least 16 GW. China twelfth five year plan unveiled this week plans for 70 GW for wind and 5 GW of solar by 2015.
Unlike Europe which is using Feed-in Tariffs to incentivize the addition of more green power to the nation grid, China is using competitive bidding to drive down the costs of the new renewable energy generation. This might be a mistake FITs are a safer bet in the long run for newer more untried energy sources as generators are paid only for actual production.
China first CSP tender generated an average solar power price of CNY0.96 per kWh. The price being offered for CSP solar is about double the price of its conventional coal power. Wind is also more expensive but now increasingly competitive.
A new development, peak coal has shaken up the plan. Coal prices have risen 75% since 2007 while electricity prices have only been allowed to rise 15%. Shortages of Chinese coal as local mines are depleted are driving up prices for imports and China coal power plants are now under real financial stress.
Mr Li Chaolin a coal and energy industry analyst at Anbound Group said "Many coal plants have shut down their generators because the more they produce, the bigger the losses they will suffer."
As a result, as much as 30 GW of power shortages are forecast as struggling coal power plants in China are unable to stay in business. China intends to build at least 75 GW of new clean energy to help supply new energy demands as its economy grows. But the dramatic loss of coal power was not factored in several years ago.
(Sourced from Bloomberg)
Bloomberg reported that the Chinese government continues to expand its clean energy production plans to replace increasingly expensive coal power that is shutting down coal plants and causing power shortages of at least 16 GW. China twelfth five year plan unveiled this week plans for 70 GW for wind and 5 GW of solar by 2015.
Unlike Europe which is using Feed-in Tariffs to incentivize the addition of more green power to the nation grid, China is using competitive bidding to drive down the costs of the new renewable energy generation. This might be a mistake FITs are a safer bet in the long run for newer more untried energy sources as generators are paid only for actual production.
China first CSP tender generated an average solar power price of CNY0.96 per kWh. The price being offered for CSP solar is about double the price of its conventional coal power. Wind is also more expensive but now increasingly competitive.
A new development, peak coal has shaken up the plan. Coal prices have risen 75% since 2007 while electricity prices have only been allowed to rise 15%. Shortages of Chinese coal as local mines are depleted are driving up prices for imports and China coal power plants are now under real financial stress.
Mr Li Chaolin a coal and energy industry analyst at Anbound Group said "Many coal plants have shut down their generators because the more they produce, the bigger the losses they will suffer."
As a result, as much as 30 GW of power shortages are forecast as struggling coal power plants in China are unable to stay in business. China intends to build at least 75 GW of new clean energy to help supply new energy demands as its economy grows. But the dramatic loss of coal power was not factored in several years ago.
(Sourced from Bloomberg)
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