Kunming is aiming to become a solar energy demonstration city with the characteristics of a solar energy industry base in China.

Dou Jinming said that Kunming is rich in solar energy resources: the average annual amount of sunshine is more than 2250 hours, and the average annual solar radiation is over 5400 MJ/m. Photo-thermal application of solar energy is also at the top of the whole country in Kunming, with more than a hundred techniques and enterprises to support its production.

To solve energy shortages and improve the urban environment, Kunming's Government has released "Advice on renewable energy development and utilization". According to the "Advice", around the Kunming Dianchi Lake basin, up to 2920 square kilometers of area will be used to utilize solar light and heat.

This will achieve a penetration rate of 50% by 2010. The first demonstration zone will achieve 70% utilization. Urban construction with integration of solar energy application should be present in 90% of new architecture.

The percentage of urban area that will utilize solar energy will reach 60%, with the percentage in rural areas reaching 20%. The government says that by 2015 the solar light and heat utilization area will amount to 6,000,000 square meters, with solar photovoltaic applications of up to a hundred megawatts or more.

At present, Kunming High-tech Zone has been planning to provide 3 square kilometers of land to build solar thermal production bases, solar battery production bases and equipment to stimulate the development of solar energy companies.

It is estimated that after the implementation of these initiatives, electricity production will be highly increased and 200,000 tons of diesel oil and 150,000 tons of gasoline will be saved. The production value is up to 17,900,000,000 yuan. By 2015, it will save 300,000 tons of diesel and petrol, and the production value will reach 27,000,000,000 yuan.

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