Renewable energy plan unveiled for 2006-2010

BEIJING -- China's annual consumption of renewable energy will reach the equivalent of 300 million tons of standard coal by 2010, which would be 10 percent of its total annual energy consumption, under the renewable energy development plan for 2006-2010.

The plan was released on Tuesday by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planning agency.

The plan says 2010 renewable energy consumption will nearly double the 2005 level, which was equivalent to 166 million tons of standard coal. That led to a reduction of 3 million tons of sulfur dioxide emissions and more than 400 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Given the dearth of petroleum and natural gas resources and the large share of coal in China's energy production, it is difficult for the nation to sustain its development and protect the environment by relying simply on fossil fuels, the NDRC said.

China boasts abundant renewable resources that could be exploited, the plan says. It says that by 2010:

-- the nation will have hydropower projects with a combined installed capacity of 190 million kilowatts and wind power projects with installed capacity of 10 million kw.

-- the installed capacity of bio-energy projects will reach 5.5 million kw and that of solar energy projects will be 300,000 kw.

-- domestically produced hydropower equipment and solar water heaters should become competitive on global markets.

-- wind power equipment manufacturers should put generating units with installed capacities of at least 1.5 million watts into mass production.