Unlike fossil fuels, which use finite resources that could eventually become too expensive to retrieve, solar power, along with other renewable energy sources, is generally unlimited in availability.
Solar power generation has become a popular alternative to conventional energy sources in recent years, even in less developed nations, who are trying to reduce dependence on expensive imported fuels.
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Of the countries of the world taking advantage of solar, it is China, the most populous in the world, who reigns supreme.
The National Energy Administration (NEA) made the revelation after the nation doubled its installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2016. By the end of the year, China had hit a capacity of 77.42 gigawatts.
Worth celebrating?
If just considering raw numbers, it certainly is.
But China’s massive population makes it much less impressive.
In fact, solar energy only represents one percent of the country’s energy output.
However, the country has announced plans to focus even more attention on clean energy, seeking to add more than 110 gigawatts within the next three years.
Such a goal could help the nation increase the proportion of its renewable energy use to 20% by 2030. To date, that number stands at a mere 11%.
To help the nation reach its goal, China plans to put more than $360 billion into renewable energy projects, including solar, wind, nuclear, and hydropower.
Source: China Is Now The World’s Largest Producer of Solar Power