China’s cumulative installed wind and solar capacity has passed 2 billion kilowatts. Huanqiu.com reported that figures released by the National Energy Administration put the end-September total at 2.01 billion kW.
According to a Huanqiu.com photo feature, China’s National Energy Administration said on October 26 that cumulative installed wind and solar capacity had crossed the 2 billion kW mark. The reference point is the end of September this year, and the combined figure is 2.01 billion kW. The photos were provided by Xinhua.
광고 문의 · 300×250By category, solar capacity stood at 1.31 billion kW, up 16.5 percent from a year earlier, while wind capacity was 700 million kW, up 20.4 percent. The two add up to the reported total of 2.01 billion kW. The growth rates are as relayed by Huanqiu.com and were not independently verified by this paper.
What it means and what remains
Installed capacity is the sum of the maximum output of generating equipment and differs from actual electricity produced. Wind and solar output varies with weather and season, so the same capacity cannot be compared simply with coal or nuclear. The report does not give the share of generation or of electricity consumption.
China has said it treats renewable energy deployment as a pillar of its energy transition. Issues such as grid expansion, energy storage and reducing curtailment are often raised, but this report contains no specific figures or government plans on them.
China’s capacity growth also draws attention in neighboring countries such as South Korea. Because China holds a large share of the solar panel and wind turbine supply chains, expansion may affect related industries and prices. This announcement itself, however, did not address effects on exports or overseas markets.
