In an interview with UK daily The Guardian, he says that under the current development plan for renewable energy, the goal for wind energy is 30 GW, but that the new goal could be 100 GW by 2020.
The goal for solar power could triple to 9 GW. At the moment, China produces 120 MW of electricity from solar power.
“We are now formulating a plan for development of renewable energy. We can be sure we will exceed the 15% target. We will at least reach 18%. Personally I think we could reach the target of having renewables provide 20% of total energy consumption,” Xiaoqiang told The Guardian.
China will not only spend money on solar electricity, wind power, energy efficiency and green transport, but also expand solar heating systems. China already has 130 m2 installed. In comparison, the USA plans to have 200m2 installed by 2020.
If these predictions hold, China could become a significant market for renewable energy, Renewable Energy Focus notes.