Victor Chen says he sees cutting his electricity bill as a great way to save money and reduce his carbon footprint, and he has been told installing a solar-energy system might be the best way of doing that, having just moved into his new three-story house.

But he says he has no plans to choose solar, despite knowing that his energy bill might well be 1,500 yuan ($242) per month using conventional sources.

"I have doubts it really saves money, because I have heard people talk about how big a headache it can be, first to apply for permission to install the panels, and then to maintain them," said Chen, who owns his own business in Shanghai.