Shenzhen sees bright spot in BIPV

Shenzhen's latest push to promote distributed photovoltaic power generation will play a key role in driving the country's green development and helping achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2060, experts said.

The metropolis in South China's Guangdong province introduced a range of measures on Monday to push forward the industry's development, with an aim to achieve 1.5 gigawatts in newly installed capacity during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

The move is part of the city's broader efforts to shift toward green and low-carbon energy to contribute to the country's dual carbon goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

According to the government document, launched by the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen, the city will promote the construction of BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) projects in industrial parks, plants, logistics and warehousing bases, public buildings, transport facilities and residential buildings.

The city will strive to cultivate leading industry players by offering support to enterprises and research institutes to enhance their technological levels in developing photovoltaic materials, modules and equipment, and strengthen the entire industry chain.

While social capital is encouraged to be invested in photovoltaic projects, banks and other financial institutions are also urged to provide innovative financial products, services and flexible loan guarantee methods to facilitate financing of such projects, the document said.

The 1.5 GW of newly installed capacity by 2025, if achieved, is expected to attract approximately 6 billion yuan ($858 million) in social investment and create a 6 billion yuan local market, the commission said.

"This will help promote high-quality development of the city's new energy industry and build a new launchpad for green and low-carbon development," it said.

Shenzhen is among a number of Chinese cities that have issued policies to drive the development of the solar power sector.

Beijing launched its energy development blueprint during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) in April, which mapped out its vision to have 0.7 GW in newly installed capacity for solar power generation in the city's key areas by 2025. Application of photovoltaic power in new residential buildings in urban and rural areas, as well as in renovation projects of aging residential complexes, will be promoted.

A month later, Shanghai also unveiled its energy development plan from 2021 to 2025, aiming to increase its installed capacity of solar power generation by 2.7 GW over the five-year period.

The National Energy Administration said China's cumulative installed capacity of grid-connected solar power facilities hit 306 GW as of the end of last year, with newly installed capacity reaching 53 GW in 2021.

Zhao Tianyi, an analyst at BloombergNEF, said the Shenzhen government's attempt will further promote local green and low-carbon energy transition in the city.

"The mandate can substantially boost newly installed photovoltaic capacity in the city and will play a key role in achieving the government's carbon neutrality goal. It will also encourage the development of distributed photovoltaic as part of a wider vision to make renewable energy a key cornerstone of the country's path to a green economy," Zhao said.

She added Shenzhen's total green building space tops nationwide, and the mandate will combine technological research and development, equipment production, as well as market application to come up with better-quality, higher-efficiency and lower-priced products within a shorter period of time.

Zhao said the government's attempt to connect distributed solar projects with BIPV projects will also ensure green energy is more efficiently and widely utilized.