Solar Energy Resource and Application Potential in China

Solar energy application is very attractive as a renewable and clear energy source in the 21st century. For sustainable development of the economy, environment protection and long-term benefit should be targeted. This paper estimates the available solar energy resource throughout the 14 cities of China. The economical analysis of solar hot water systems and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) applications is discussed. It is found that the potential is significant and the government should play an important role for its development.