The Chinese government will give subsidies to renewable energy buildings and projects in pilot cities and rural areas.

Pilot cities would carry out projects and build buildings with renewable energy technologies and products, said the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in a circular on Thursday.

Every pilot city was expected to get between 50 million yuan (7.33 million US dollars) and 80 million yuan in subsidies from the central budget.

Meanwhile, renewable energy products and technologies would also be introduced to the country's vast rural areas, said the two ministries in the circular.

The central government would channel money to local governments for installing renewable energy facilities to housings, schools and other public buildings. Solar energy water heater and solar radiators were highlighted by the two ministries.

Every pilot county was expected to get a maximum subsidy of 18 million yuan, said the circular.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2009)