China's total installed capacity of renewable energy power generation will reach around 3.5 billion kilowatts by 2030, with an annual power output of about 6 trillion kilowatt-hours, according to a plan jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration (NEA).
The goal was outlined in the Plan for Renewable Energy Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period (2026-2030).
According to the document, China's renewable energy sector will enter a new development stage featuring scale expansion, quality improvement and reliable substitution.
"Six trillion kilowatt-hours are roughly equivalent to the power output from coal-fired power plants. By the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the total electricity consumption of the whole society is projected to stand at around 13.5 trillion kilowatt-hours. Six trillion is equivalent to over 40 percent of that total. During the period, we should guarantee both increase in quantity and improvement of quality," said Li Chuangjun, director at the new energy and renewable energy department of the NEA. The plan also specifies major development goals to help the renewable energy sector pursue high-quality development.
According to the plan, by 2030, China's total consumption of renewable energy will reach approximately 1.8 billion tonnes of standard coal.
Combined installed capacity of wind and solar power generation will exceed 2.8 billion kilowatts, accounting for over 50 percent of the total installed power capacity, the plan said.
The plan also lays out major tasks, noting that active efforts will be made to promote the development of power generation based on biomass, concentrated solar power and ocean energy.
It also said that China will strive for breakthroughs in the non-electric utilization of renewable energy sources.
"Efforts will be made to advance scaled-up non-electric applications of renewable energy, including using it to produce hydrogen, ammonia and methanol, and to provide heating and cooling services, as well as using it to generate biomethane. By 2030, the total scale of non-electric utilization of renewable energy will increase by about 1.5 times compared with the level in 2025. These efforts will enable wide consumption of renewable energy across the end-use sector," said Li.
Newly-released plan sets China's goals for renewable energy power generation
