Daily News
China Surpasses 2030 Renewable Energy Goals Years Ahead of Schedule
China broke its own renewable energy record once again in 2024, installing 80 gigawatts (GW) of wind capacity and 277 GW of solar capacity, according to the National Energy Administration, as reported by Recharge News. This marks an impressive 18% growth in wind capacity, now totalling 520 GW, and a remarkable 45% increase in solar capacity, which has reached 890 GW. Combined, these achievements fulfil the 1.2 terawatts (TW) renewable energy capacity target set by President Xi Jinping in 2020 – a goal originally intended for 2030.
China has accomplished this milestone an astonishing five years ahead of schedule. “With increased renewable energy capacity, it is increasingly possible that by 2025, renewable sources will meet all new electricity demand. This paves the way for China’s power sector to achieve peak emissions by 2025,” Greenpeace East Asia Beijing-based project lead Gao Yuhe said.
In late 2024, China connected one of the world’s largest solar power projects to the grid. The Ruoqiang PV project, a massive 4 GW solar installation located in the south-eastern region of the Taklamakan Desert, was developed and is operated by China Green Electricity Investment. This landmark project aligns with the Chinese government’s strategy to ensure its emissions peak by the end of the decade.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has previously pointed to China’s advancements as a key factor in keeping the global goal of tripling renewable power capacity by 2030 within reach. Despite ongoing construction of new coal-fired power plants, China’s total power generation saw a nearly 15% increase in 2024, reaching 3.35 TWh.
Sources:
https://asian-power.com/news/chinas-re-sources-meet-all-new-energy-demand-2025
https://energywatch.com/EnergyNews/Renewables/article17830344.ece