Nation world leader in renewable energy, says eco-group

China is the world's leading producer of energy from renewable sources and is on the way to overtaking developed countries in creating clean technologies, says a Climate Group report.

The report, published on Friday, says China's "clean revolution", shows that supportive government policies investing billions of dollars in energy efficiency and renewable energy are driving huge levels of innovation in China.

Despite its coal-dependent economy, China has become a world leader in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology - its six biggest solar companies have a combined value of more than $15 billion, the Climate Group says. Last year, China produced about 820 megawatts of solar PV, second only to Japan.