ReneSola moves on 32 MW rooftop solar projects in China

ReneSola, the Chinese vertically integrated solar power firm, has signed a series of module supply and EPC deals totaling 32 MW with a range of commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop owners across China.

The company will install and supply its solar panels at distributed solar PV projects in the Chinese provinces of Shandong, Anhui and Zhejiang, with the C&I customers consuming the solar electricity generated outright.

“We remain optimistic about the outlook for the rooftop solar distribution generation (DG) market in China,” said ReneSolar CEO and chairman Xianshou Li. “Distributed generation project development fits into our long-term strategy to drive profitable growth. We will continue to support the development of distributed generation and a diversified energy mix in the domestic market.”

China’s solar growth in 2016 was a massive 34.2 GW, according to official installation figures by the National Energy Administration (NEA). This pace of installation essentially doubled China’s solar power base, pushing it beyond 77 GW and making China the world’s solar leader in terms cumulative capacity.

Installation is still heavily weighted in favor of utility scale projects, and it is estimated 20 GW of additional PV capacity is “feasible” in the first half of 2017. With curtailment still a concern, particularly in the provinces in Western China, installing solar PV closer to the point of consumption is gaining traction nationwide – and this could support the growth of DG solar.

At the turn of the year ReneSola signed a contract with Beijing Enterprises Clean Energy Group to act as EPC for 335 MW of solar rooftop projects in China. These arrays are scheduled to be installed and completed within the first six months of the year.