According to the People's Daily, China has become the world's biggest investor in renewable energy sources, investing more $47.62 billion in renewable energy sources in 2010. However, the Government believes more still needs to be done to support the roll-out of renewable energy from a policy perspective. It has therefore announced the launch of the China National Renewable Energy Center (CNREC), which will study and devise development strategies and perform research on renewable energy policies, while also partaking in cooperative programs with other countries.
"To solve the problems facing the renewable energy industry, we must come up with policies and measures that are suitable for the sector," Liu Qi, deputy head of the National Energy Administration, said at the opening ceremony last Thursday.
The think tank will also help public official to develop road maps for solar photovoltaics, wind, biofuels and other renewable resources, as well as collect and analyse data to be used by energy policy makers.
"In China, developing policies and strategies for renewable energy is a complex task because government leaders have to weigh all aspects to ensure that it will benefit the entire country," Wang Zhongying, director of the new centre, told People’s Daily. "That is not to say that our government doesn't have the courage to make policy, rather, a strong think tank can provide solid research to support policy-makers."
The centre was developed by the National Energy Bureau with the support of the National Development and Reform Commission. It is also a result of a five-year collaborative project between the Chinese and Danish governments, which established a Renewable Development Programme in 2009. Funding for the centre will mainly come from Chinese government allocations and this programme.
According to People’s Daily, Friis Arnen Petersen, Ambassador of Denmark to China, said the opening of CNREC is not only a breakthrough in China's road towards green growth, but also a milestone in cooperation between China and Denmark in renewable energy.
[Inset: Wind farm outside of Urumqi photo by Ken Driese]
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