China Boosts Development of Building Integrated Solar Projects      

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Rural-Urban Development of China announced a subsidy program in March on building-attached photovoltaic cell projects.
   The program could help address issues such as poor design and installation for building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and a lack of technical standards in domestic market, as well as improve the overall capability of making BIPV modules for domestic manufacturers, the two ministries said.
   The move aims to start up the application market for BIPV in both urban and rural areas, and boost the domestic PV industry.
   The so-called rooftop program, focusing on pilot projects in the beginning, could help manufacturers tap the huge undeveloped domestic market, paying way for large scale extension in the future.
   The government subsidy program would accelerate the PV commercialization.
   China's PV makers exported the bulk of their products in recent years, as solar projects are uncompetitive in domestic market in the absence of a well-developed subsidy system.
   Under the latest plan, the central government requires all projects eligible for the subsidy must be larger than 50 kilowatts and attached to buildings, in addition to other requirements, to make sure the smooth running of the program.
   "The subsidy could boost the use of renewable energy in buildings and the development of green buildings in China," an industry insider said. "Also, it helps the Chinese solar cell manufacturing industry to cope with the financial crisis."