National Energy Administration: Focusing on solving the problem of "building but not adjusting" energy storage! We will promote the introduction of policies for photovoltaic land use, forest use, grass use, and sea use!

On February 16th, at the seminar on the review of the development of the photovoltaic industry in 2022 and the outlook for the situation in 2023, Xiong Minfeng, Deputy Director of the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, took the lead in delivering a speech, summarizing the significant achievements and policy support of the photovoltaic industry in the past year, and putting forward important opinions and suggestions for future industry development.
According to Xiong Minfeng, in order to create a favorable development environment for the industry and solve land difficulties, relevant departments of the National Energy Administration will strengthen communication and coordination with natural resources and other departments, study and promote the introduction of policies for photovoltaic land use, forestry, grass, and sea use, and provide strong land factor guarantees for the development of the industry. At the same time, we will work with relevant parties to study and optimize the operation mechanism of energy storage scheduling, focusing on solving the problem of building without use.
The transcript of the speech is as follows (without my own review):
Dear guests, experts, and colleagues
Good morning everyone. I am pleased to participate in the seminar on the development review of the photovoltaic industry in 2022 and the outlook for the situation in 2023. First of all, on behalf of the New Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, I would like to express sincere congratulations on the convening of this meeting and express sincere gratitude to all parties involved in long-term care and support for the development of the photovoltaic industry and the work of the New Energy Department. This meeting is held at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, mainly to review the development situation of the industry in the past year and look forward to the development situation in the new year. I hope everyone can make good use of this opportunity to not only summarize experience but also accurately assess future development trends, especially in response to new problems and challenges faced by the industry, and provide suggestions to guide the industry's sustained, healthy, and high-quality development.
In the past year, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was successfully held. Currently, the entire Party and the whole country are deeply studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China fully recognizes the achievements in the development of new energy in China, and also makes arrangements for the future development of new energy in China, pointing out the direction of progress and providing fundamental guidance. The industry is both inspired and exhilarated, and deeply feels its mission is glorious and its responsibility is significant.
In the past year, the photovoltaic industry has achieved fruitful results and achieved new breakthroughs.
Firstly, the annual installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation exceeded 80 million kilowatts for the first time, reaching 87.41 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 60%, reaching a new historical high, becoming a type of power source with a large scale of new installed capacity and a fast growth rate.
The second is that the annual installed capacity of distributed photovoltaics has exceeded 50 million kilowatts for the first time, reaching 51.11 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 75%, accounting for 60% of the total new installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation. It has become the primary force in the new installed capacity of photovoltaics, and presents a new pattern of centralized power stations, industrial and commercial distribution, and household photovoltaics.
Thirdly, the total installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation has exceeded 390 million kilowatts, second only to thermal power and hydropower, making it the third largest power source in terms of installed capacity.
The fourth is that the annual photovoltaic power generation has exceeded 400 billion kilowatt hours for the first time, reaching 425 billion kilowatt hours, with an additional generation of about 100 billion kilowatt hours, accounting for 30% of the total new generation. The increasingly obvious substitution effect of renewable energy has become a strong support for the green and low-carbon transformation of energy.
Fifth, the export of photovoltaic products exceeded 50 billion US dollars for the first time, with a year-on-year growth of over 80%, becoming a major highlight of China's foreign trade exports. It has played an important role in stabilizing investment, growth, employment, and foreign trade.
In the past year, the policy system of the photovoltaic industry has become more sound and complete. Firstly, the General Office of the State Council forwarded the Implementation Plan for Promoting the High Quality Development of New Energy in the New Era. This is another important policy document issued by the central government in the field of new energy, following the issuance of the "Several Opinions on Promoting the Healthy Development of the Photovoltaic Industry" by the State Council in 2013, providing strong policy support for the healthy and rapid development of the industry.
The second is to issue the "14th Five Year Plan for the Development of Renewable Energy" in the form of a joint document issued by nine departments for the first time, providing planning guidance and stable expectations for industry development, forming a collective effect of departmental efforts.
The third is to adhere to the principle of centralized and distributed parallel, organize the construction of large-scale wind power and photovoltaic bases with a focus on deserts, Gobi, and desert areas, and pilot the development of distributed rooftop photovoltaics throughout the county, becoming a major measure and important lever to promote industry development.
On the basis of widely soliciting opinions from all parties in the industry, the new "Management Measures for the Development and Construction of Photovoltaic Power Stations" has been revised and released, actively adapting to the new situation and requirements of industry development. This not only promotes development, eliminates obstacles and difficulties, but also standardizes order and promotes healthy development.
The fifth is to focus on the issue of industrial chain imbalance. Multiple departments jointly issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Collaborative Development of the Photovoltaic Industry Chain Supply Chain" and the "Notice on Promoting the Healthy Development of the Photovoltaic Industry Chain" to ensure and promote the safety and stability of the industrial supply chain.
Standing at a new starting point in the new year, looking back at the past, looking globally, and looking forward to the future, more and more countries are taking accelerating the development of renewable energy represented by photovoltaic as the fundamental and long-term strategy to promote energy transformation and ensure energy security, setting higher development goals, and introducing stronger support policies.
At the same time, in the past year, China's photovoltaic industry has also exposed some problems, such as insufficient industry chain coordination, especially the significant fluctuations in upstream silicon material prices; The policy of using forest, grass, and sea for photovoltaic land needs to be further clarified, which will affect the implementation of the project; The phenomenon of photovoltaic mandatory supporting industries and energy storage configuration still occurs from time to time, especially when energy storage is built without use, and the income risk of photovoltaic participation in the electricity market increases. These issues need to be carefully studied by all parties and jointly promoted for resolution.
Below, I would like to offer four suggestions. Firstly, we should adhere to the theme of high-quality development to ensure the stability and development of the industry. High quality development is the primary task of the industry, which requires not only rapid growth in quantity and expansion of installed capacity, but also effective improvement in quality. On the one hand, we should strengthen industrial collaboration, establish the concept of mutual benefit and win-win situation, build a good industrial ecosystem, and jointly maintain the safety, stability, and stability of the industrial chain supply chain. On the other hand, strengthen industry self-discipline, make rational investment decisions, prevent disorderly and vicious competition, continuously optimize the business environment, and jointly maintain a standardized and orderly market order.
The second is to adhere to innovation as the primary driving force and promote the large-scale application of advanced technologies. Reducing costs, improving quality, and increasing efficiency are the main themes of industry development. Whoever can seize the opportunity in technological innovation can win in market competition. Currently, more advanced technological routes still require sustained efforts from all parties. I hope everyone can firmly grasp the core competitiveness of technological level, increase innovation investment, take advantage of the strong demand in the application market, especially the opportunity for the construction of large-scale wind power and photovoltaic bases, and actively promote the large-scale application of advanced technologies, driving technological progress, cost reduction, and industrial upgrading.
The third is to adhere to factor protection and create a favorable development environment for the industry. Land is an essential supporting factor for industry development. We will work with the Ministry of Natural Resources and other departments to study and promote the implementation of policies for photovoltaic land use, forest use, grass use, and sea use, providing strong land factor protection for the development of the industry. At the same time, we will work with relevant parties to study and optimize the operation mechanism of energy storage scheduling, focusing on solving the problem of "building without adjustment". At present, the reform of the electricity market is deepening, and the participation of new energy in the electricity market is the trend. We hope that everyone can strengthen research, actively adapt, respond to new challenges in advance, and improve the ability of photovoltaic participation in the electricity market. We will also work with and cooperate with relevant parties to study the electricity market mechanism that adapts to the characteristics of new energy, and stabilize investment expectations.
The fourth is to adhere to integrated development, expand new scenarios, models, and formats for photovoltaic applications. Photovoltaic power generation has strong compatibility and can be integrated and developed with fields such as construction, transportation, and agriculture, achieving significant comprehensive benefits and value-added utilization advantages in space. At present, some coastal provinces have planned to layout offshore photovoltaics, and relevant enterprises are actively participating. Offshore photovoltaics have entered the initial stage of development. I hope everyone can continuously explore and discover new scenarios, summarize and promote good cases, experiences, and practices, and further expand the space for photovoltaic development.
Dear experts and colleagues, this year marks the beginning of the comprehensive implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Together with colleagues in the industry, we will deeply study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, conscientiously implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, work hard, overcome difficulties, and promote the leapfrog development of China's photovoltaic industry on a larger scale, higher proportion, and higher quality on a new journey, in order to achieve the dual carbon goals in China as scheduled, Promote economic and social development, and contribute photovoltaic power to the comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation.