China plans to focus less on solar and wind Energy and more on Nuclear and Hydro Power

China will accelerate the use of new-energy sources such as nuclear energy and put an end to blind expansion in industries such as solar energy and wind power in 2012, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says in a government report published on March 5.

China will instead develop nuclear power in 2012, actively develop hydroelectric power, tackle key problems more quickly in the exploration and development of shale gas, and increase the share of new energy and renewable energy in total energy consumption.

The guidance indicates a new trend for new-energy and renewable energy development in China from 2012. Analysts believe that the development of the solar and wind power industries will stabilize while hydropower will have the top priority in renewable energy development in China.

Hydropower to contribute two-thirds of renewable energy

China’s installed capacity of clean energy had totaled 290 gigawatts by the end of 2011, 33.56 GW more than that the most populous country realized in 2010.

Experts from China Electricity Council said the combined installed capacities of hydropower, nuclear power, wind power, solar power and bio-energy accounted for 27.5% of the country’s total installed power capacity as of Dec. 31, 2011.

The installed capacity of hydropower was 230 GW, nuclear power was 12.57 GW and wind power was 45.05 GW at the end of last year, accounting for 21.8%, 1.19% and 4.27% of China’s total installed capacity of electricity.

Meanwhile, China’s installed capacity was 2.14 GW in solar power, 4.36 GW in bio-energy, 24,200 kilowatts in geothermal energy and 6,000 kW in ocean energy at the end of 2011.

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