China, the world’s largest polluter, is rapidly moving towards becoming greener with clean energy alternatives. A recent energy report detailed China’s efforts in adopting solar and wind power, which is expected to help it reach its 2030 clean energy goal by the end of this month.
As we have previously reported, renewable energy continues to trend upwards, with record growth expected in 2023. China, the world’s most populous country and consequently the largest CO2 emitter, has taken promising steps to move in a greener direction as its infrastructure becomes more energy dependent with a steady shift towards BEVs and charging.
According to the Global Wind Report 2024 released by the Global Wind Energy Council in April this year, China set a new record by putting 75GW of new facilities into operation, accounting for about 65% of the world’s total.
China further contributed to the clean energy transition last month by installing a massive 18MW offshore wind turbine, the world’s largest, and other countries are taking notice, with Germany planning to install Chinese-made turbines at its offshore wind farms.
In addition to wind power, China has fully embraced solar power as an alternative source of clean energy. In June, it opened a 3.5 gigawatt, 33,000-acre solar farm outside Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the largest of its kind in the world. Not to be outdone, China has also announced plans to build a massive 8MW solar farm as part of an $11 billion integrated energy project led by state-run power company China Three Gorges Renewable Group.
These efforts are beginning to bear fruit, with recent energy reports showing that China is literally years ahead of schedule in reaching its end-of-decade clean energy goals.
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Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China/Climate Energy Finance (CEF) -
China’s clean energy installations continue to grow
According to a report dated July 2, 2024, Climate and Energy Finance China is on track to hit its 1,200 GW wind and solar power installation target this month, according to the China Energy Ministry (CEF). The original deadline for reaching this green energy target was 2030, so China has achieved this astonishing feat six years ahead of schedule, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
China installed 103.5 GW of clean energy capacity in the first five months of 2024, while thermal energy additions fell 45% year-on-year, signaling a shift away from coal and nuclear to cleaner alternatives while meeting growing demand on local power grids.
As in 2023, solar PV will continue to lead the country in capacity additions, installing 79.2 GW between January and May 2024, accounting for 68% of the total new capacity. This figure is already up 29% year-on-year and continues to trend upwards.
Wind power is the second most deployed new energy in China, reaching a total of 19.8GW of new capacity by 2024, accounting for 17% of total new additions. Wind power installations are up 21% year-on-year, and like solar, show continued growth from a record 2023.
According to CEF, China’s total installed wind and solar power capacity reached 1,152GW as of the end of May 2024, and at the current pace it should exceed its 2030 target of 1,200GW this month.
China is fast becoming a global leader in clean energy adoption, but there’s still work to be done: the country remains heavily reliant on coal-fired power plants, and to truly offset its carbon emissions it needs to phase these out and switch to more sustainable options.
We should never slow down our clean energy adoption, especially as China appears to be doing, judging by its efforts over the last year. Push the goals and keep the momentum going.
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