{"id":12201,"date":"2017-06-27T13:39:03","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T03:09:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=12201"},"modified":"2024-06-04T15:23:22","modified_gmt":"2024-06-04T05:53:22","slug":"chinas-top-runner-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/","title":{"rendered":"China&#8217;s Plan For Solar World Domination: The &#8216;Top Runner&#8217; Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_12772\" style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12772\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12772\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Chinese-Solar.jpg\" alt=\"Chinese dude holding a solar cell\" width=\"650\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Chinese-Solar.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Chinese-Solar-300x222.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12772\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">China&#8217;s Solar Top Runner Program &#8211; What The Hell Is It?<\/p><\/div>\n<p>China is the world leader when it comes to manufacturing and installing solar panels.\u00a0<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>They currently have 85 gigawatts of them lying around on racks and producing clean energy by sunbathing<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-1' id='enref-12201-1' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>1<\/a><\/sup>.\u00a0 This is 14 times Australia&#8217;s 6 gigawatt capacity.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12788\" style=\"width: 544px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12788\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12788\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/china-vs-aus-solar.png\" alt=\"chart of solar capacity China vs Aus\" width=\"534\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/china-vs-aus-solar.png 534w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/china-vs-aus-solar-300x242.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12788\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">China has 14x as much installed solar as Australia.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Australia still has 4 times as much PV per person, but China is catching up fast.\u00a0 Last year they installed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apricum-group.com\/installing-60-global-pv-capacity-2016-whats-store-giant-chinese-u-s-pv-markets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">30 gigawatts<\/a> or 5 Australias worth of solar panels.\u00a0 That was around 43% of all the PV installed in the world that year.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12789\" style=\"width: 527px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12789\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12789\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/china-share-2016.png\" alt=\"donut chart\" width=\"517\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/china-share-2016.png 517w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/china-share-2016-300x269.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12789\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">China installed 43% of the world&#8217;s solar capacity in 2016.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>China also has a vast number of solar hot water systems that seem to be everywhere.\u00a0 I would not say they are ubiquitous &#8212; but only because I don&#8217;t actually know what that word means.<\/p>\n<p>China&#8217;s massive and expanding solar capacity did not come about by chance.\u00a0 For some reason the Communist Party of China doesn&#8217;t rely entirely on market forces to allocate resources<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-2' id='enref-12201-2' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>2<\/a><\/sup>.\u00a0 Normal Chinese solar farms receive a feed-in tariff that is above the average wholesale price of electricity.\u00a0 This government subsidy is designed to encourage the development of clean energy and reduce the number of Chinese three year olds who have the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2013\/04\/23\/world\/asia\/pollution-is-radically-changing-childhood-in-chinas-cities.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lungs<\/a> of a chainsmoker.\u00a0 They also have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinadialogue.net\/article\/show\/single\/en\/9420-Solar-PV-can-help-China-s-poorest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PV for the alleviation of poverty program<\/a>, designed to benefit people in the poorer regions of their nation.\u00a0 And to promote the development of technologically advanced, high efficiency panels, China has the Top Runner program.<\/p>\n<p>While it may be hard to believe, despite his massive popularity in China, Tom Cruise has nothing to do with their Top Runner program<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-3' id='enref-12201-3' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrapper\"><iframe title=\"The Evolution of Tom Cruise&#039;s Run\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zv2bAqk9PLw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t easy, but I was able to use the internet to find out just what the Top Runner program is.\u00a0 In this amazing, interconnected world where Australians can download 2, 3 or sometimes even 4 cat pictures an hour, we have the ability to instantly learn about the latest developments in China.\u00a0 After, of course, they have been approved for release by the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ministry_of_Industry_and_Information_Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ministry of Industry and Information Technology<\/a><sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-4' id='enref-12201-4' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>4<\/a><\/sup>, and after they have been squeezed through the corroded, verdigris encrusted, copper carbonate in the shape of wire, that we call a telecommunications system.\u00a0 A system laid down by grandad back in the days when bandwidth was something only narrow dance halls had to worry about.\u00a0 (It&#8217;s a pity China wastes so much effort controlling access to information when all they really had to do was put Malcolm Turnbull in charge of their internet.)<\/p>\n<p>What I have learned is China&#8217;s Top Runner program is a scheme to improve the quality of their solar panel manufacture.\u00a0 It works by setting aside solar farm capacity that can only use panels that meet the Top Runner program&#8217;s efficiency standards.<\/p>\n<p>By providing a market for higher efficiency panels, the program has encouraged Chinese manufacturers to invest in the means of production that improve the quality of their panels.\u00a0 This has been bad news for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/sunpower-solar-panels\/\">SunPower<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/lg-neon-r-solar-panel\/\">LG<\/a>, and other makers of high efficiency panels, who are facing increasing competition as Chinese products improve, but it is only good news for Australia and the world in general.<\/p>\n<h2>What Is A Top Runner Program?<\/h2>\n<p>A Top Runner program is a government scheme designed to improve energy efficiency.\u00a0 The way it normally works is: standards are set for products and manufacturers that don&#8217;t meet them by a set date suffer penalties that can include a ban on sales.<\/p>\n<p>Australia&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.energyrating.gov.au\/products\/lighting\/phaseout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lighting phase out<\/a>, which kicked incandescent light bulbs<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-5' id='enref-12201-5' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>5<\/a><\/sup> out of the country, is an example of a top runner program, even though we didn&#8217;t call it that.<\/p>\n<p>The most famous Top Runner program is <a href=\"http:\/\/goo.gl\/HgvzGR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Japan&#8217;s<\/a> which has been operating since 1999 and now covers a wide range of products from appliances to vehicles.\u00a0 Their program has been a boon to the entire world by improving energy efficiency technology that eventually gets used everywhere.<\/p>\n<p>Well, I say Japan&#8217;s program is famous, despite the fact that almost no one in the English speaking world seems to know what a Top Runner program is.\u00a0 I had to find out from a German <a href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Top-Runner-Programm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">article<\/a>.\u00a0 Thank goodness I have enough German genes to understand it.\u00a0 (That&#8217;s how language works, right?)<\/p>\n<p>The fact English speakers don&#8217;t even seem to know what Top Runner programs are suggests we&#8217;re not putting as much emphasis on energy efficiency as we should.\u00a0 I blame the United States for this.\u00a0 And Australia.\u00a0 And the UK.\u00a0 And Canada.\u00a0 And while it&#8217;s completely unfair, I&#8217;m also going to blame India &#8212; that&#8217;ll teach them to be the world&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_countries_by_English-speaking_population\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">second largest<\/a> English speaking nation.<\/p>\n<p>But China&#8217;s solar Top Runner program doesn&#8217;t quite work the same as Australia&#8217;s light bulb elimination program, or Japan&#8217;s Top Runner program.\u00a0 They are doing their own thing.<\/p>\n<h2>Lost In Translation?<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_12508\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12508\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12508\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/toprunner.bmp\" alt=\"Daleks Can't Jump\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12508\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;TOP RUNNER? ARE YOU MAKING FUN OF OUR LACK OF LOCOMOTORY APPENDAGES?&#8221;<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Some of the documents I got information from were difficult to understand because they were translated from Chinese into English by a machine.\u00a0 Quite possibly a Dalek.<\/p>\n<p>At least with German I can understand something well enough to know if I need to use Google Translate on it, but when it comes to Mandarin I&#8217;m afraid I don&#8217;t know if I am looking at something that&#8217;s to do with the solar Top Runner program or Sound of Music fan fiction.\u00a0 (So-Lar-Mi-Re-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zPrI8db74kA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Doh<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>While I am confident what I have written below is correct, it is still possible something has been lost in translation, despite using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apricum-group.com\/how-china-can-control-the-global-pv-market\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one source<\/a> whose English mine better than is.<\/p>\n<h2>How China&#8217;s Solar Top Runner Program Works<\/h2>\n<p>China&#8217;s solar Top Runner program started in 2015. It mandates that a specific amount of solar farm capacity\u00a0built each year, must only use\u00a0panels that meet the Top Runner efficiency standards.\u00a0 The mandated build program for these &#8216;Top Runner&#8217; solar farms\u00a0is increased each year:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2015 &#8212; 1 gigawatt = About one Victoria worth of PV<\/li>\n<li>2016 &#8212; 5.5 gigawatts = About one Australia worth of PV<\/li>\n<li>2017 &#8212; 8 to 10 gigawatts = About one and a half Australias worth of PV<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12790\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/2017-06-27_12-13-14.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"518\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/2017-06-27_12-13-14.png 518w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/2017-06-27_12-13-14-300x248.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Polycrystalline and Monocrystalline Efficiency Standards<\/h2>\n<p>The Top Runner program has efficiency standards for both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/glossary.html#polysilicon\">polycrystalline<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/glossary.html#monocrystalline\">monocrystaline<\/a> panels.<\/p>\n<p>Polycrystalline silicon, also known as polysilicon and multicrystalline silicon, is cheaper, but solar cells made with it have a lower efficiency than those made from monocrystalline silicon.\u00a0 And because having just one name would be too simple, another term for monocrystalline silicon is monosilicon.<\/p>\n<p>In 2015 and 2016 the Top Runner program had two efficiency grades:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2015 Grade 1:\u00a0 Polycrystalline 17.5%, Monocrystalline 18%<\/li>\n<li>2015 Grade 2:\u00a0 Polycrystalline 16.5%,\u00a0 Monocrystalline 17%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some solar farms required panels meet the strict Grade 1 standards, while the more laid back ones accepted Grade 2 standards.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to meeting efficiency standards, 60 cell solar panels, which are the most commonly used size, had to be at least 280 watts in capacity.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"http:\/\/pv.energytrend.com\/news\/China_Sets_8_to_10GW_Target_for_2017_Phase_Top_Runner_Program.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2017<\/a> there appears to only be a single efficiency standard:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2017:\u00a0 Polycrystalline 17%,\u00a0 Monocrystalline 18%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With the minimum capacity for 60 cell panels increased to 295 watts.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12791\" style=\"width: 514px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12791\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12791\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/panel-efficiency.png\" alt=\"bar chart of panel efficiency targets\" width=\"504\" height=\"476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/panel-efficiency.png 504w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/panel-efficiency-300x283.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12791\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Top Runner targets force the average Chinese panel to be more efficient.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Quotas For High Efficiency Technology<\/h2>\n<p>To encourage further development of higher efficiency panels, small allotments of at least 50 megawatts of capacity are set aside for panels using specific technologies which include PERC<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-6' id='enref-12201-6' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>6<\/a><\/sup>, IBC<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-7' id='enref-12201-7' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>7<\/a><\/sup>, and HIT<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-8' id='enref-12201-8' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>8<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2015 when the Top Runner program started, PERC cells have gone from being a small share of the market to becoming standard in most new solar cell production lines.\u00a0 While the PERC quota wouldn&#8217;t have hurt, the main reason has been that PERC&#8217;s increased efficiency allows both polycrystalline and monocrystallline panels to meet the Top Runner efficiency standards outside of PERC&#8217;s specific quota.<\/p>\n<h2>Top Runner Uses Reverse Auctions<\/h2>\n<p>Normal solar farms in China receive a feed-in tariff for the electricity they supply to the grid.\u00a0 The amount of new solar capacity that can receive it is determined each year.\u00a0 Total compensation is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.renewableenergyworld.com\/articles\/2016\/10\/china-to-lower-feed-in-tariff-cut-subsidies-for-solar-pv-systems.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">decreasing<\/a> to reflect the declining cost of solar and solar farms built this year will receive around 17% less per kilowatt-hour than those built in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Top Runner capacity is done differently and uses reverse auctions.\u00a0 This is where whoever offers to build a solar farm that meets the Top Runner efficiency standards at the lowest cost wins.\u00a0 Reverse auctions are an excellent way to ensure companies make enough money to stay in business, as they are unlikely to bid a price that will drive them broke, while still making use of competition to keep prices low.<\/p>\n<p>Reverse auctions have proven to be very effective at providing renewable generating capacity at low cost.\u00a0 In the United Arab Emirates (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Arab_Emirates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UAE<\/a>) the method has resulted in solar being bid in for a price of around <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thenational.ae\/business\/energy\/record-low-bids-submitted-for-abu-dhabis-350mw-solar-plant-in-sweihan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">3.3 Australian cents<\/a> per kilowatt-hour and in India <a href=\"http:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/industry\/energy\/power\/solar-power-tariff-drops-to-historic-low-at-rs-2-44-per-unit\/articleshow\/58649942.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4.9 Australian cents<\/a> per kilowatt-hour.<\/p>\n<p>In China, the <a href=\"http:\/\/pv.energytrend.com\/news\/China_Lowest_Solar_Bid_Price_Ever_RMB_3_05_per_Watt.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lowest cost solar farm<\/a> I am aware of, was bid in for 59 Australian cents a watt<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-9' id='enref-12201-9' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>9<\/a><\/sup> and that was for the Top Runner program.\u00a0 This is an astoundingly low price and less than half that of Australia&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/reneweconomy.com.au\/australian-solar-farm-capital-intensity-halves-due-smarter-cheaper-plants-43781\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lowest cost<\/a> solar farm projects.\u00a0 While this suggests the polycrystalline panels of at least 16.5% efficiency that were used are now the cheapest way to build large scale solar farms, I can&#8217;t be certain of this because the Top Runner solar farms may have had grid connection or other advantages over projects that weren&#8217;t part of the program.\u00a0 But it&#8217;s definitely a good sign and it won&#8217;t\u00a0be that long before panels that are less than 16.5% efficient almost disappear.\u00a0 They have definitely become less common in Australia.<\/p>\n<p>Because China isn&#8217;t doing anything magical when it comes to solar farm construction, there no reason prices in Australia can&#8217;t at least approach theirs<sup class='endnote'><a href='https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/#en-12201-10' id='enref-12201-10' onclick='return hhEndnotes_show(12201)'>10<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<h2>The Benefits Of The Top Runner Program<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s not possible to know what would have happened to the Chinese solar industry if the total amount PV they installed was the same, but there was no Top Runner program.\u00a0 Personally, I am sure the cost of solar panels would still have fallen to around what they are now and efficiencies would have improved.<\/p>\n<p>But I am also certain they would not have made the same gains in panel efficiency without the program.\u00a0 One definite effect has been to increase the amount of monosilicon solar cells produced in China, as well as the number of panels that use PERC technology.<\/p>\n<p>Improvements in panel efficiency are all good for Australian rooftop solar because the higher the efficiency, the less space is required and the greater the savings on balance of system costs such as racking, wiring, and labour.<\/p>\n<p>The improving efficiency of Chinese panels are a challenge for makers of high-end panels.\u00a0 SunPower, the maker of the world&#8217;s highest efficiency panels, appears to have decided that if you can&#8217;t beat &#8217;em, join &#8217;em, and will begin <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/sunpower-sma-choose-discreetly-manufacture-china\/\">manufacturing panels in China<\/a>.\u00a0 What the South Korean manufacturer, LG Solar, will do remains to be seen, but perhaps they intend to always stay a couple of steps ahead of the competition.\u00a0 I hope they&#8217;ve got their best running shoes on, because they&#8217;ll have to be a top runner to win this race.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/tom-cruise-mission-impossible-run-072815.gif\" alt=\"Run, Tom, run!\" width=\"500\" height=\"208\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>China is the world leader when it comes to manufacturing and installing solar panels.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":12772,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[182,64],"class_list":["post-12201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-panels-2","tag-china","tag-efficiency","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>China&#039;s Top Runner Program Sets The Stage For Solar World Domination<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"China&#039;s massive and expanding solar capacity did not come about by chance. They centrally planned a Top Runner program to improve average panel efficiency.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinas-top-runner-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"China&#039;s Plan For Solar World Domination: The &#039;Top Runner&#039; Program\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"China&#039;s massive and expanding solar capacity did not come about by chance. 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It's not an exaggeration\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Economics Of Solar&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Economics Of Solar","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/economics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"chinese solar panel","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/china.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/china.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/china.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1650,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/will-the-u-ss-solar-panel-tariff-wall-on-china-cause-a-trade-war\/","url_meta":{"origin":12201,"position":5},"title":"Will the U.S&#8217;s solar panel tariff wall on China cause a trade war?","author":"Staff Writer","date":"May 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"It may be a little while before the dust settles on the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s decision to slap a massive 31 percent tariff on China\u2019s top makers of solar panels (more for those about to enter the market) but already big questions are being asked. 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