China plans to provide 70 percent of households in its western region with access to clean and renewable energy by 2020 and establish 200 counties into demonstration bases for green energy, said the China Energy Administration on Thursday.
China aims to realize 143 million kW and 220 million kW installed capacities of new and renewable energy in western China by 2015 and 2020, respectively.
The area with access to solar thermal energy is targeted at 20 million square meters and 50 million square meters by 2015 and 2020 respectively.
The government will optimize the environment for the development of new energy in western China and foster new energy businesses under the framework for western development program.
At the present time, western China is challenged by the lack of large renewable energy businesses, remoteness, an underdeveloped power grid, insufficient awareness on the utilization of renewable energy, limited environmental capacity as well as laggard power infrastructure in rural areas.
