China’s Renewable Energy Sector: H1 2023 Report
The first half of 2023 has witnessed considerable growth in China’s renewable energy sector. This report examines the official data released by the Chinese government on the installed capacity and power generation of various renewable energy types.
Installed Capacity
By the end of June 2023, the total installed capacity of renewable energy in China broke through 1.32 billion kilowatts (1,320 GW), an impressive 18.2% increase from the same period last year. Renewable energy now accounts for 48.8% of China’s cumulative installed capacity of approximately 2.71 billion kilowatts (2,710 GW).
Further breakdown of renewable energy installed capacity reveals:
(1) Hydropower: 418 million kilowatts (418 GW)
(2) Wind power: 390 million kilowatts (390 GW), up 13.7% year-on-year
(3) Solar power: 471 million kilowatts (471 GW), up 39.8% year-on-year, marking photovoltaic power as China’s second-largest installed power source, only surpassed by coal
(4) Biomass power: 43 million kilowatts (43 GW)
New Installations
Focusing on newly added capacity from January to June 2023, China’s renewable energy sector added a total of 109 million kilowatts (109 GW), accounting for 77% of all new installations nationwide. This can be broken down into:
(1) Hydropower: Added 5.36 million kilowatts (5.36 GW)
(2) Wind power: Added 22.99 million kilowatts (22.99 GW)
(3) Solar power: Added 78.42 million kilowatts (78.42 GW), which is 56% of all new installations. This is a dramatic increase of 154% compared to last year’s addition of 30.88 GW
(4) Biomass power: Added 1.76 million kilowatts (1.76 GW)
Power Generation
In terms of power generation, China’s renewable energy sector generated a total of 13.4 trillion kilowatt-hours (KWh) during the first half of 2023. This consisted of:
(1) Hydropower: 5.166 trillion KWh
(2) Wind power: 4.628 trillion KWh
(3) Solar power: 2.663 trillion KWh
(4) Biomass power: 984 billion KWh
Conclusion
The remarkable progress made in H1 2023 by China’s renewable energy sector, notably the solar power industry, is a testament to the country’s commitment to clean energy transformation. As renewable energy installations continue to grow at a rapid pace and contribute an increasingly significant share of the country’s total power generation, China is firmly positioned as a global leader in the renewable energy landscape. The outlook for H2 2023 and beyond is promising, as renewable energy increasingly plays a key role in China’s energy strategy.
Photo by Mike Setchell on Unsplash