The National Energy Administration (NEA) recently held its monthly video conference on renewable energy development and construction for February.
Original by NLS
The National Energy Administration (NEA) recently held its monthly video conference on renewable energy development and construction for February. The meeting reviewed China’s overall progress in renewable energy development in 2024, provided updates on major projects, assessed supply and demand trends in the wind and photovoltaic (PV) industries, analyzed key challenges, and outlined priorities for 2025.
The meeting highlighted that China’s renewable energy sector continues to experience rapid growth, high utilization rates, and efficient integration into the power grid. By the end of 2024, the country’s total installed renewable energy capacity had reached 1.889 billion kilowatts, a 24.6% year-on-year increase, maintaining a share of over 50% of total installed capacity for the second consecutive year. Wind and solar power combined reached 1.406 billion kilowatts, surpassing coal power capacity for the first time.
In 2024, China added 373 million kilowatts of new renewable energy capacity, up 23% year-on-year, accounting for 86% of all newly installed power capacity. For the second consecutive year, annual renewable energy additions exceeded 300 million kilowatts, making up more than half of global new capacity. Nationwide, renewable power generation reached 3.47 trillion kilowatt-hours, contributing 35% of total electricity generation, while the average utilization rate remained above 95%. Meanwhile, distributed renewable energy has emerged as a major growth driver, with distributed solar PV now accounting for over 40% of total solar power generation.
The meeting set two key mandates and two high-priority objectives for 2025. Key mandates:
Accelerate the construction of large-scale renewable energy bases in desert, Gobi, and arid regions to ensure projects are completed and put into operation on schedule.
Successfully conclude the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan, ensuring that projects under China’s 102 major national infrastructure initiatives are completed on time while also drafting the 15th Five-Year Plan to guide future renewable energy development.
High-priority objectives: Strengthen policy implementation to ensure stable and sustainable industry growth. Enhance renewable energy integration and utilization, adopting proactive strategies to maintain a stable and efficient consumption rate for wind and solar power nationwide.