China's renewable energy sector achieved a remarkable milestone in the first half of 2023, adding over 100 GW of wind and solar power generation capacity, bringing the country's cumulative capacity to around 860 GW, according to official sources.
The striking progress in renewable deployment has bolstered expectations for China's ambitious goal of reaching 1,200 GW of solar and wind capacity by 2025.
During a press conference on July 26, Liu Mingyang, leader of the Power Department of China's National Energy Administration (NEA), highlighted the continuous expansion of wind and solar power installations, making them the dual driving forces behind China's new power generation capacity and electricity output.
According to NEA's data, wind and solar accounted for a remarkable 71% of China's total newly-added power capacity and contributed to over 54% of the country's new electricity generation in the first half of this year.
As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen renewable energy's role in power supply, the implementation of various measures has significantly increased the contribution of wind and solar power in China's energy landscape.
According to data from grid companies, wind and solar power generation accounted for approximately 15% of the average electricity load in most regions in 2022, reaching as high as 40% during peak periods.
Notably, during the pre-flood season in April-May, Yunnan province's wind power generation surged by 92.1% year on year to 6.5 TWh, while solar power generation increased 183% to 2.07 TWh. These robust figures alleviated the impact of reduced hydropower due to low water levels, ensuring a stable power supply and providing critical support to address potential challenges during the current flood season.
China's commitment to renewable energy is further demonstrated by the fact that its solar capacity now surpasses that of the rest of the world combined. Additionally, onshore and offshore wind capacity has doubled since 2017 and is approximately equal to the combined total of the top seven other countries.
President Xi's ambitious environmental targets have also reinforced China's dedication to sustainable growth. In 2020, he pledged to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Emma Yang)
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