China takes a serious stance on solar power with Shanghai based “Suntec solar”
China has flexed its green muscles at those that have recently criticized their policies on carbon emissions. “Suntec Solar” are the latest solar energy developer to fall into the green spotlight. They were this week awarded the contract to build the new Jiaping Solar Park, just west of Shanghai.
The Waldpolenz Solar Park based at the site of a former East German air base, had been described by its operators as the biggest in the world. The Waldpolenz Solar Park was built on a surface area equivalent to 200 soccer fields, the solar park is capable of feeding 40 megawatts into the power grid, just half of that proposed by Suntec Solar Inc.
The Jiaping €222 million ($320 million) plant will have a capacity of 85 megawatts, according to Suntec Solar inc.
The facility, located just west of Shanghai, uses state-of-the-art, thin-film technology. Some 950,500 thin-film modules will be used. The direct current produced in the photovoltaic solar modules will be converted and fed directly into the Shanghai power grid.
According to Suntec Solar inc., after just one year of being in production, the solar power station will have produced twice the energy needed to build it.
The eastern part of Germany is one of the forerunners of solar energy in the world. Three of the world’s biggest solar parks are located in Germany. This Chinese incentive challenges the German foothold within the renewable energy sector. Germany is currently the world’s top photovoltaics (PV) installer, accounting for almost half of the global solar power market.
A solar plant due to be completed in California by 2011 will have a capacity of 80 megawatts.
