The role of China’s renewable powers against climate change during the 12th
Five-Year and until 2020
Xiao Yu
a
, Hang Qu
b,
n
a
School of Civil Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, Shandong, China
b
Department of Thermal Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, Shandong, China
article info
Article history:
Received 14 November 2012
Received in revised form
31 January 2013
Accepted 3 February 2013
Available online 15 March 2013
Keywords:
Renewable power
Climate change
GHG
China
12th FYP
abstract
Climate change has become the most globally concerned environmental issue. As the world’s largest
carbon dioxide emitter and primary energy consumer, China has strong incentives to change its coal-
dominated electricity structure. Various renewable powers such as wind and solar are suitable and
necessary options for carbon emission reduction. The 12th Five-Year (2011–2015) and the mid-term
until 2020 are critical periods for the development of Chinese renewable powers. In this paper
individual renewable electricity sources were introduced based on their characteristics. Based on the
introduction, the targets as well as their effects in the medium and long-term were presented and
explained; challenges China has to face in the periods were discussed in detail, and emphasis was put
on hydro, solar and wind power, which is highlighted in the plans. Also solutions against these
challenges were recommended.
& 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................402
2. Targets of carbon dioxide emission reduction in China . ...................................................................402
3. Introduction of various renewable energy power technologies ..............................................................403
3.1. Hydropower . . . .............................................................................................403
3.1.1. General .............................................................................................403
3.1.2. Pumped-storage ......................................................................................403
3.2. Solar photovoltaic ...........................................................................................404
3.2.1. General .............................................................................................404
3.2.2. Stand-alone and grid-connected PV systems . . .............................................................404
3.3. Solar thermal power .........................................................................................404
3.3.1. General .............................................................................................404
3.3.2. Parabolic trough concentrator ...........................................................................405
3.4. Wind power . . . .............................................................................................405
3.4.1. General .............................................................................................405
3.4.2. Offshore wind power . . . ...............................................................................405
3.5. Other renewable powers . . ....................................................................................405
3.5.1. Biomass ............................................................................................405
3.5.2. Geothermal. . ........................................................................................405
4. Targets and challenges for renewable powers in China . ...................................................................406
4.1. Goals and challenges for hydropower . ...........................................................................406
4.2. Goals and challenges for solar PV and solar thermal ................................................................407
4.3. Goals and challenges for wind power . ...........................................................................407
4.4. Goals and challenges for other renewable powers ..................................................................408
5. Solutions from the source ...........................................................................................408
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
1364-0321/$ - see front matter & 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2013.02.008
n
Corresponding author. Tel.: þ86 535 6221039; fax: þ86 535 6695491.
E-mail address: quhang0922@yahoo.com.cn (H. Qu).
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 22 (2013) 401–409