The Renewables2004 conference in Bonn, June 2004 was widely
seen as the “kick-off event” for China’s new renewable energy
programmes for wind and solar PV. Activities undertaken after
the event led to China’s commitment for a domestic renewable
energy law as well as the establishment of a renewable energy
development fund. In the beginning, “pico-hydro”, small scale
wind and solar PV formed the basis for decentralised projects.
On January 1, 2006, China’s renewable energy law came into
force and kick-started the breath-taking development of China’s
wind, and later solar PV industries.
The establishment of the China National Renewable Energy
Centre—developed in close cooperation with Denmark—is
another national milestone. This national institution assists
China’s energy authorities in renewable energy policy research
and industry policy development.
The Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Suntech in 2005 on the New
York Wall Street Stock Exchange marked the beginning of China’s
solar PV-orientated export industry. The rapidly expanding
manufacturing capacity of solar equipment fed global demand;
ironically domestic use of solar PV was low until 2010. China’s