China Tearing the Roof Off Solar Energy Installations

We’re rightfully skeptical of anyone who claims to understand the inner workings and true motivations of the Chinese government.  Sure, they’re investing big in renewable energy, but why? Positive PR on the world stage?  Appeasing the people who are dropping like flies of respiratory illness stemming from breathing gray-brown air that looks like it could be cut with a knife and fork?  Strategic leadership in the defining market of the 21st Century?  Increased national security from a diverse supply of energy resources?  

No one knows.

But here’s something we all know: the Chinese rate of investment in solar is blowing away all estimates–even their own.

The independent solar industry advisory firm AECEA reports that China has already exceeded its 2020 target of 105GW by installing around 10.52GW of solar in July, after record first half 2017 installations of 24.4GW.  Over the past years, they’ve been achieving a year-on-year growth rate of 16%, but 2017 is on track to reach as much as a 30% increase over record installs in 2016.

In this case, knowing what is occurring may be even better than knowing why.