South China's Guangdong Province hopes to boost its new energy industry's output to 400 billion yuan (US$58.48 billion) by 2020.

The move opens a new growth outlet for the previously export-oriented economy, according to Li Miaojuan, director of the provincial development and reform commission on Monday.

Li told Xinhua that the province would focus on nuclear, wind power and solar energy for its development.

The installed capacity of nuclear power, in particular, would be expanded from current 4 million kilowatts to 24 million kilowatts by 2020, as local government hoped to turn nuclear energy into the province's pillar new energy, said Li.

Coal is the province's dominating power source, with hydrolic, nuclear, solar, gas and wind power taking up only a combined 32.5 percent of Guangdong's overall installed electrical power capacity, she said.

"Clean energy plays a key role in modernization. A wider use of clean energy will not only optimize local energy consumption but also help upgrade traditional manufacturing and make the province more competitive," Li said.

With two solar power plants in Shenzhen and Shantou generating 1,000 kilowatts and 100 kilowatts of electricity respectively, and another 1 million-kilowatt wind power capacity under operation or construction, Guangdong's new energy industry has begun to take shape, Li said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2009)