China to Double Solar Power Capacity by End of 2011 (+ Top Solar Power Stories)

Nicholas just wrote about China’s solar power dreams and it’s new feed-in tariff for solar yesterday. And I wrote in June about the country doubling its 2025 solar power goals (aiming for 10 gigawatts by that time). But we’ve got some more big solar news out of clean-energy-crazy China worth a share. China expects to double its solar power capacity by the end of the year and will reach 2 gigawatts of solar power capacity, according to a new report from a think tank linked to the government, the Energy Research Institute.

“The report also said China was expected to produce 90,000 tonnes of polysilicon this year, representing 80 percent of its domestic demand,” Reuters reports.

China’s 900 megawatts of solar power capacity at the end of 2010 may sound like a lot to many, but it will be a tiny figure soon for China. Kudos to the clean energy leader.

Here’s some more top solar news (other than our several stories) of the last week or so:

1. Solar market jobs growing in abundance
2. A Solar Panel on Every Roof? In U.S., Still a Distant Dream
3. Sungevity socks away cash for solar leasing
4. Green Mountain Energy program to provide nonprofits with solar energy
5. Falling solar costs: Good for buyers, bad for makers
6. Solar Roadways to build solar-powered parking lot
7. A hybrid solar panel to make hydrogen
8. TEPCO announces commencement of 7-megwatt Ukishima Solar Power Plant on Tokyo Bay
9. SunPower cuts 2011 profit forecast, addresses costs
10. South Pole base turns to the sun for power
11. SunPower, First Solar plants win environment deals

More solar power stories we missed? Drop us a link in the comments below!

Photo via International Rivers