The Evolution and Effect Evaluation of Photovoltaic Industry Policy in China

The large scale of China’s photovoltaic (PV) industry and the great policy support by the Chinese government make it necessary to scientifically evaluate PV industry policy. This study designed an evaluation framework for China’s PV industry policy from four dimensions (policy measure, policy type, policy strength, and policy issuing department) to categorize and quantify China’s 307 PV industry policies from 1994 to 2016. Furthermore, the historical evolution and realistic effect of the policies on the PV industry in China were examined. The results show that, currently, grid support, operation specification, and operation supervision are the main policy measures, while a low-level notice is the main type of policy. The policy issued strength is generally low. The enforcement strength of regional policy presents descending trend from the northern to the southern provinces, and a similar trend from coastal provinces to inland provinces. The policy for grid support, operation specification, and technical specification has had the best effect. The most effective policy types are the sector-specific notices and announcements, and the best policy-issuing department is the National Energy Administration. In terms of policy strength, the policy for grid support, operation specification, and operation supervision has had a positive correlation with the development of the industry, although it did not achieve its desired effect.