Photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of Xiaoyao Brigade

Could China's rooftops and buildings match global solar capacity?

Rooftops and buildings in China fitted with solar panels could match the current global capacity of the entire industry, according to new analysis.

Is China developing a rooftop solar system?

Fishman, an energy analyst at the Lantau Group, an economic consultancy firm in Shanghai, was keen to meet with developers in Shandong to understand how China is developing extensive rooftop solar installations at such a remarkable pace.

Why is rooftop solar so popular in China?

Most of that rooftop solar has been added in the past two years, as China offered support for local governments to boost installations, and raised power rates to businesses, making generating their own electricity more attractive.

Is Shandong leading China's rooftop solar-development initiatives?

Shandong is leading China’s rooftop solar-development initiatives, accounting for 18% of such projects across the country. As of March, the province had installed 33 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar capacity, enough to power an estimated 18 million homes.

Who installed solar panels in 2021 & 2022?

The panels were installed by Jinze Power Group, a solar equipment retailer and project constructor whose distributed solar business doubled in both 2021 and 2022. “In 2015, we would be pretty happy if we sold a few dozen panels for distributed solar,” said Liu Jihong, the head of project development.

How many counties have signed up for a rooftop photovoltaic system?

So far, 676 counties in 31 provinces have signed up, most of which are located in the eastern half of the country. The programme encourages counties to build rooftop photovoltaic systems that cover at least 50% of government buildings, 40% of public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, 30% of commercial buildings and 20% of rural homes.