Best Policy Practices

Best Policy Practices
Brightness program
China
Funding for solar energy projects in Inner
Mongolia and Qinghai Province
Name of the programme: Brightness Rural Electrification Program
Lead institution: Chinese Central Government
Other institutions and stakeholders involved: local governments of
the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province
Timeframe: 1996-2010 | Status: Ongoing
Policy and main objectives: The Government is supporting the
development of solar energy by funding R&D activities, establishing
necessary administrative services, and subsidizing
families willing to install solar equipment (subsides between
15% and 20% of total expenditure). About USD 50 million
has been allocated by China’s State Council to support the
Brightness Program during the Tenth Five-Year Plan period
(2001-2005).
Results achieved: The following results were achieved as part
of the first stage of the Brightness Program.
• Installed 1,780,000 household systems,
2000 village systems, and 200 station systems
• Established national and local govern-ment bureau
financing approaches and practical financing mechanisms
• Established industrialized production enterprises which
can fulfill the demand of the market
• Set up a distribution and service network and
marketing mechanism
• Installed a technical training system pro-viding different
levels of training for local technicians and engineers
Link: www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35790.pdf
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