China to build Asia's biggest solar power station

Yunnan Provincial Power Investment Co Ltd will invest RMB 3.7 billion to build a large photovoltaic solar power station in Shilin County of South China's Yunnan province, which will be the biggest solar power station in Asia, according to sources.

The power station is planned to start construction in October this year and expected to be completed in 2009, with a targeted installed capacity of 66,000 kW. In April, the project was rated as a key project in Yunnan Province, the sources said.

As a new energy using and environment protecting project which is greatly encouraged by the Chinese government, the station will use photovoltaic solar power to generate electricity by taking advantage of the ample sunlight in the region.

Yunnan Provincial Power Investment Co Ltd now has a combined installed capacity of 3.5 million kW (including ongoing and planned projects) and the total installed capacity is expected to hit 10 million kW by 2020 and therefore become a large mainstay power enterprise in the province.