Solar Capacity Surpasses 1 Billion kW; Thermal Coal Share Drops to 40%
Time:2025-06-24 15:26:47 Source:People's Daily
Edited and Updated by Ethan Ma
June 24, 2025
On June 23, the National Energy Administration (NEA) released statistics on the national power industry for January to May. By the end of May, China’s total installed power generation capacity reached 3.61 billion kilowatts, marking a year-on-year increase of 18.8%. Three key developments stood out: two increases and one decline.
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— Solar capacity surpasses 1 billion kilowatts, a historic milestone.
Since the beginning of this year, China’s solar power installation has maintained rapid growth. From January to May, nearly 200 million kilowatts of new solar capacity were connected to the grid, up 57% year-on-year. This drove the total installed solar capacity to exceed 1 billion kilowatts, reaching 1.08 billion kilowatts — equivalent to about 48 Three Gorges Dams. Solar now accounts for 30% of China's total power generation capacity and nearly half of global solar capacity.
A NEA official noted that this milestone not only represents massive clean energy capacity but also signals the emergence of a complete and internationally competitive solar industry chain. China now hosts over one million companies involved in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, with an annual output value exceeding one trillion yuan. From self-sufficiency in high-purity polysilicon to breakthroughs in large-size wafers, high-efficiency cell technologies, and record-setting module performance, as well as advanced inverters and integrated energy storage systems — China’s solar industry leads the world in nearly all technical segments.
— 204 billion yuan in grid investment continues to grow.
The Longdong–Shandong ±800 kV ultra-high-voltage (UHV) DC transmission project can deliver enough electricity annually to power over 10 million households, with half of it being green power. According to the NEA, grid investment nationwide reached 204 billion yuan from January to May, up 19.8% year-on-year. State Grid Corporation announced plans to complete and commission 140 major projects before the summer peak to ensure stable power supply and enhanced grid capacity.
— Thermal power's share falls to around 40%.
According to NEA data, by the end of May, installed thermal power capacity stood at approximately 1.46 billion kilowatts, accounting for about 40% of China’s total power generation capacity — a further decline in share. Earlier this year, the National Development and Reform Commission and NEA jointly issued the Implementation Plan for the Upgrading of Next-Generation Coal Power Units (2025–2027). The plan requires pilot coal-fired units to adopt carbon reduction technologies that lower per-kWh emissions by 10% to 20% compared to 2024 levels.
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