Solar project delays in China could make Japan the largest market

China risks being displaced as the world's largest solar market as measured by annual installations after some project approvals were postponed.

"There isn't enough time to achieve the target," said Li Junfeng, director general of the National Centre for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation.

The delays meant China could fall short of its goal to install 14 gigawatts of solar capacity, Li said. Japan is expected to add 10.3 to 11.9 GW this year.

The shortfall posed the biggest risk to small panel producers reliant on the domestic market, said Wang Xiaoting, an analyst for BNEF. Bigger producers such as Yingli Green Energy Holding and Trina Solar had diversified, she said.

China was expected to install less than 12 GW of both distributed and large-sized solar capacity this year, Li said. When grid connection issues were considered, capacity additions might fall below 10 GW, he said.

The country saw a record addition of 8.9 GW of solar in the last quarter of 2013 as developers rushed installations ahead of a tariff cut, data showed.