China launches pilot scheme to promote renewable energy in rural areas

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China launches pilot scheme to promote renewable energy in rural areas

According to an action plan released by the National Energy Administration NEA on Thursday, the pilot scheme will be launched in BEIJING China to promote the development of renewable energy in rural areas.

Under the scheme, provincial-level government departments are to identify rural 'pilot counties' for the construction of renewable energy projects and submit development plans to the NEA for evaluation and approval by the end of May this year, according to the statement.

By the year 2025, renewable energy will account for over 30 per cent of total primary energy consumption and over 60 percent of new capacity primary energy consumption in the pilot counties.

The scheme called for local authorities to deregulate and improve the administration of their renewable energy industries.

The announcement comes amid an effort to increase renewable energy capacity in the country. China installed 152 gigawatts GW of renewables capacity last year, representing 76.2 per cent of the new energy capacity.

By 2025, China wants renewable power to account for more than 50 per cent of its electricity generation capacity, with much of it being installed in sparsely populated, largely rural regions such as Inner Mongolia and Gansu province.