China’s Renewable Energy Surges, but Coal Expansion Threatens Climate Goals – EQ
In Short : China’s wind and solar power capacity has surpassed thermal power for the first time, reaching 1,482 GW by March 2025. Despite this milestone, renewables contributed just 22.5% to electricity consumption due to grid challenges. Meanwhile, China continues expanding coal power, risking its 2030 carbon peak and 2060 neutrality goals. Renewable growth remains impressive but complex.
In Detail : China has recently achieved a significant milestone in its energy sector, with the combined installed capacity of wind and solar power surpassing that of thermal power for the first time. By the end of March 2025, China’s wind and solar capacity had reached 1,482 gigawatts, outpacing its thermal power capacity. This achievement highlights the country’s rapid progress in renewable energy.
The development is even more impressive considering China reached its 2030 target of 1,200 GW of wind and solar power six years ahead of schedule. In 2024 alone, the country added a record 357 GW of renewable energy, with solar growing by 45% and wind by 18%. These increases demonstrate China’s aggressive push toward a cleaner energy future.
However, while the installed capacity of renewables has grown significantly, their contribution to actual power generation remains limited. In the first quarter of 2025, wind and solar energy accounted for only 22.5% of the electricity consumed in the country. This discrepancy is largely due to grid integration challenges, as well as the prioritization of fossil fuels in the power dispatch system.
The grid infrastructure in China has struggled to keep up with the rapid expansion of renewable energy. Although the country has made substantial investments in wind and solar capacity, much of this energy is not effectively integrated into the grid, resulting in waste or underutilization. These challenges hinder the broader adoption of renewable energy in the national electricity mix.
In addition to the growth of renewables, China is continuing to invest in coal power. In 2024, the country began constructing 99.5 GW of new coal-fired power capacity. The government argues that this is necessary to ensure reliable baseload power, especially to complement the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy. This continued reliance on coal has raised concerns among climate experts.
While China has committed to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the ongoing expansion of coal power poses challenges to meeting these ambitious goals. The nation’s efforts to boost renewable energy are commendable, but experts warn that its reliance on coal could undermine progress toward climate objectives. Addressing grid infrastructure issues and reducing dependence on coal will be crucial for realizing China’s climate and energy goals.
