BEIJING, May 19 -- Shanghai established its first clean energy research center yesterday to develop technologies to utilize five kinds of clean energy.

    The immediate goal is to increase Shanghai's percentage of clean energies - mainly wind and solar power - from less than 1/1,000 now to 1/100 by 2010.

    The center in Minhang District has five inter-related laboratories for wind power, fuel cells, solar power, clean coal power, and bio-power, involving methane gas and other substances.

    The Shanghai Clean Energy Research and Industry Promotion Center "will gather together the city's research forces to speed up clean energy research," said Shou Ziqi, deputy director of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

    The center has more than 50 researchers from local universities and enterprises and has been equipped for scientific studies.

    Solar power and wind-driven power are the major forms of clean energy for Shanghai's sustainable development.

    In a preliminary plan, Shanghai expects to expand its wind-driven power plants to the Chongming Island and along the Donghai Bridge in the East China Sea by 2010.

    It also plans to develop the country's biggest wind-generation equipment producing 2,000 kilowatts per hour - nearly three times more than the existing machines.

    In solar power, the city will invest 100 million yuan (US$12.48 million) through 2007 to develop and expand production, including more rooftop panels and street lamps.

    Researchers aim to develop technology to increase the power-conversion efficiency of solar reception equipments from 1 kw per hour to 10 kw per hour. That would give more solar power for residential uses.

    One project will install solar-panels on 100,000 of the city's 6 million rooftops to relieve chronic power shortages by 2010.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)