Earth Equity News

China May Actually Start Using the Solar Panels It Manufactures. By Ted Plafker, NYTimes, 9/30/10. "China is home to hundreds of manufacturing plants turning out solar panels and modules. It produces between one-third and one-half of the world's total supply of photovoltaic solar cells. But it accounts for 1% to 5% of the working installations. Instead of helping to meet China's own rapidly growing energy demand, the bulk of Chinese manufactured solar energy equipment gets shipped overseas, destined to soak up sun rays and generate power in markets like Germany, Spain and Denmark… The country has made surprisingly scant use of solar energy at home. Now, however, that looks as if it may be set to change… China says that its investment last year of $34.6 billion in the renewable energy industry exceeded that of any other country in the world. Even so, officials acknowledge that its green energy push will take a long time to bear fruit."