UPDATE 1-China's Himin eyes 30 bln yuan sales in 5 yrs

(Adds investment details, background)

BEIJING, March 14 (Reuters) - China's top maker of solar water heaters, Himin Solar Energy Group, said on Friday it aimed to reach 30 billion yuan ($4.23 billion) in sales in five years, at least a threefold increase from last year.

Himin's President, Huang Ming, also said core manufacturing assets of the company -- in which Goldman Sachs and Chinese investor CDH Ventures will own at least 20 percent after having invested $50 million each in Himin -- will be listed domestically this year or in 2009 as a new company.

Himin announced the listing plan last year.

Huang, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual Parliament meeting, said the combined investment earlier this year would help the company to expand production and increase sales.

"Our target is to reach 30 billion yuan in sales within five years," he said, adding that sales last year were less than 10 billion yuan.

Chinese producers already account for more than three-quarters of world output of the systems, which use the sun's energy to heat water for daily use, rather than to generate electricity as better known and the more sophisticated photovoltaic (PV) cells do.

The solar heaters are the only form of renewable energy -- outside of hydroelectric power -- that are competitive in China without subsidies. ($=7.09 yuan) (Reporting by Coco Li; writing by Kirby Chien; Editing by Ken Wills)