By LI Linxu

Sci-tech innovation and industrial upgrading are in urgent need for high-quality renewable energy development, according to a package of policies recently released by China.

At present, a new sci-tech and energy revolution is gaining momentum around the world, with renewable energy at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Accelerating the development of renewable energy and implementing renewable energy substitution actions are important measures to build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, said a plan recently unveiled by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in conjunction with eight other ministries and administrations.

The plan, titled the 14th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development, laid out the country's blueprint to produce more renewable power.

By 2025, the country's annual power generation from renewable energy sources will reach 3.3 trillion kWh, according to the plan, noting that the power generation from wind and solar energy will double during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

A third of power supply to the national grid will come from renewable sources by 2025.

Lijiaxia hydropower station in Qinghai province. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

Large-scale, high-proportion, market-driven and high-quality development will be the new features of the country's renewable energy development over the five-year period, said an official from NDRC.

The plan calls for developing renewable energy in the light of local conditions, proposing to vigorously expand wind and photovoltaic power in the northeast, northwest and north China, actively advancing the cluster development of offshore wind power in the eastern coastal regions, and steadily pressing ahead with the diversified development of biomass energy.

Innovation is greatly highlighted in the plan, calling for accelerating the development of new technologies, new models, and new business forms.

Focusing on renewable energy, new-type power systems, large-scale energy storage, and hydrogen energy, R&D and innovation platform building will be supported, and high-end talent exchange will be encouraged.

The plan pledges to further international cooperation in renewable energy, enhance technological cooperation in new energy, and actively participate in global energy governance.

Shortly after the release of the document, an implementation plan was unveiled, introducing 21 measures to boost green power and promote high-quality development.

The implementation plan re-emphasizes the importance of sci-tech innovation and industrial upgrades, and allocates more investment in basic research and key technologies.