China plans world's largest solar plant

China said Tuesday it will build the world's largest solar power station in the poor but sunny northwestern province of Gansu, Reuters reported, citing the official Xinhua news agency. The 100 megawatt project in Dunhuang would cost approximately US$766 million and construction would take five years. Xinhua claimed the world's current largest solar power station was a 5mw project in Leipzig, Germany, with 33,500 solar panels. But a solar plant in Arnstein near Wuerzburg in southern Germany has a 12mw capacity, according to its operator S.A.G. Solarstrom, Reuters said. The country is seeking to ease its dependence on coal, which currently accounts for about 70% of its energy consumption.