"The launch and implementation of China's 'Renewable Energy Law' provides a policy-level guarantee for the development of industries exploiting solar energy. The signing of the Kyoto Protocol, the promotion of environmental protection policies and pledges made to the international community provide industries exploiting solar energy with a great opportunity. China's Grand Western Development Program provides industries that exploit solar energy with a huge domestic market. In addition, the adjustment of China's strategic energy plan has led to increased government support for the development of renewable energy sources. All these factors represent a great opportunity for the development of solar energy exploited by China's industries," said Shen Jianguo, vice chairman of the National Committee of the China Political Consultation Conference (CPPCC) of the China Federation of Industry and Commerce and chairman of the China Non-Governmental Enterprise Committee.
He Zuoxiu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "China's sustainable energy source development plan states forcefully that by 2020, sustainable energy sources will account for only 15% of the energy consumed. As the development and exploitation of solar energy is in line with China's adjustment of the industrial structure, in addition to the macro-level policies related to the development of the circular economy, the green economy and low-carbon economies, it is safe to say that the potential development of the solar energy industry is huge."
China is the world's largest producer, consumer and user of solar energy; its solar energy industry already accounts for 76% of the global market. Despite this, most of China's solar energy development and its use is currently for solar water heating units. Statistics show that more than 5,000 companies in the solar energy industry in China are producers of solar-powered water heating units.
China's Solar-Powered Air Conditioning Units Could Be the Answer to China's Requests
The solar-operated air conditioning unit presented this year by Vicot at this year's 2010 World Solar-Powered Air Conditioning Development Forum boasts an optimal figure of 85% thermal cooling conversion efficiency, and its capacity to use solar energy is 27 times the average of a water heating unit. This solar-operated air conditioning unit allows continuous cooling, heat and hot water supply for 24 hours, while natural gas can be used as a supplementary energy supply.
"This solar-powered air conditioning unit is the result of three years of hard work and pioneering research conducted by scientists and engineers from China and America. The product is a good example of the world's revolutionary technology. Solar-operated air conditioning units can be used on a large scale in low-carbon buildings, and their cost is relatively low, so in three and a half years, the initial investment of the unit can be recovered, and in 6.7 years, the total investment is fully recovered, "said the CEO of Shandong Vicot Air Conditioning Co., Ltd., Li Wen.
China's supply of solar energy is plentiful, about two-thirds of the nation's surface area, and annual solar irradiation exceeds 2,200 hours. These are excellent preconditions for the development of China's solar-operated air conditioning industry. In addition, there are important statistics that show that an energy consumption in buildings and other structures in China is 27.45% of the total energy consumption of the country, so the incorporation of energy saving measures in these structures is imminent. Currently, energy consumption in buildings and structures is mainly attributed to heat units (65%), water heating units (15%), electricity (14%) and kitchen applications (6%).
"The energy consumption of air conditioning units accounts for 60% of energy consumption in buildings, which is about 30 times that of solar water heating units. Thus, the development of solar-powered central air conditioning will not only provide a major energy revolution, but also provide another technological and industrial revolution," said Qin Hong, assistant to the director of the Center for Policy Studies of the Ministry of Urban-Rural Development. "As a new product, if the solar-operated air conditioning unit can capture market attention and approval, its future market prospects are huge."
Authors: Air Conditioning
