This article first appeared on the BNEF mobile app and the Bloomberg Terminal.
- Rooftop solar installations to reach 24 gigawatts in 2018
- Rooftop solar 20% cheaper than regulated retail power
China’s distributed solar, wind, gas generation capacity poised to grow
Source: BNEF
As part of ongoing electricity market deregulation, distribution-grid-connected (DGC) generators will be allowed to sell power directly to neighboring industrial and commercial customers in February 2018 (as long as they’re connected to the same substation). BNEF estimates China had about 30 gigawatts of DGC capacity as of Q3 2017, of which over 90 percent is rooftop solar. The new policy will help rooftop solar projects reduce over-reliance on a single customer. Rooftop solar costs are already cheap enough to compete with industrial and commercial customer’s retail power prices in China. BNEF expects new rooftop PV installations to surge 70 percent in 2018, reaching 24 gigawatts.
BNEF clients can see the full research report, “China Pilots ‘Electricity Prosumer’ Model”, here.
BNEF Shorts are research excerpts available only on the BNEF mobile app and the Bloomberg Terminal, highlighting key findings from our reports. If you would like to learn more about our service.