China plans increase in renewables targets

China is open to the idea of limits on the carbon intensity of its economy

China is planning a huge increase in renewables and hopes to generate 20 per cent of its energy from clean sources by 2020, officials said yesterday.

Zhang Xiaoqiang is the vice-chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the government office responsible for masterminding China's move towards green energy.

"We are now formulating a plan for development of renewable energy," he told The Guardian.

"We can be sure we will exceed the 15 per cent target. We will at least reach 18 per cent. Personally, I think we could reach the target of having renewables provide 20 per cent of total energy consumption."

Zhang said the new plan would see the goal for total installed capacity of wind energy and solar power triple to 100GW and 9GW respectively by 2020.

The targets match Europe's goals and will mean the country will lay heavy claim to being a global hub for renewables technology.

A recent report from New Energy Finance found that China is already the world's second-largest wind market in terms of new capacity and the world's biggest solar photovoltaic manufacturer.

The new targets will be reached by spending more than $30bn (£18.4bn) of China's $590bn economic stimulus package on low carbon investment.

And further investment in carbon-efficient transport and electricity transmission systems would be even greater.

HSBC Global Research estimated that the green share could be over a third of the total package.

Zhang also told the Guardian that the government would plough money into the expansion of solar heating systems.

A US delegation is currently in China negotiating positions ahead of climate talks in Copenhagen later this year.

Zhang said China is pursuing "a constructive and positive role" in negotiations aimed at agreeing a deal in Copenhagen. He said Beijing was open to the idea of limits on the carbon intensity of its economy.

"We have taken note of some expert suggestions on carbon intensity with a view to have some quantified targets in this regard. We are carrying out a serious study of those suggestions," Zhang said.