BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- China was drafting a law to enforce the use of renewable energy, the China Daily reported.

    The draft, once passed, would make it compulsory for power companies to buy electricity generated by renewable energy so urces, such as water, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and marine-based power. All end users would share the costs, said Li Junfeng, secretary-general of the Chinese Renewable Energy Association.

    The draft law was being circulated among ministries and big State-owned corporations for review and advice, and a revised version would be submitted to top leaders of the National People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee this month for discussion, Li told the China Daily.

    Li hoped the draft would be passed by May next year.

    China has been slow to develop renewable energy because it is more expensive than conventional energy sources. While it costs 0.35 yuan (four U.S. cents) to generate one kWh of electricity from coal, wind-generated electricity costs about 0.50 to 0.60 yuan (six to seven U.S. cents) per kWh.

    However, sharp increases in energy demands leave China no choice but to speed up the exploration of renewable energy.

    ¡°The potential to increase renewable energy production in China is vast,¡± Li said.

    China planned to increase its installed renewable energy generating capacity to 60 gigawatts by 2010, about 10 percent of total power capacity, and 121 gigawatts by 2020, 12 percent of the total, Li said. 

    (Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)