China doubles new renewable capacity in 2020 and raises thermal plants base to five-year high

China’s 2020 figure is ahead of the 60.4GW of new wind capacity added globally in 2019, according to Global Wind Energy Council

China seeks to raise the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to 25 per cent by 2030, up from 15 per cent in 2020

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An aerial shot of a solar and windpower farm in Dongtai near Yancheng in Jiangsu province. China expanded its renewable-energy capacity in 2020 while increasing its thermal plants at the same time. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 4:00pm, 21 Jan 2021Updated: 4:00pm, 21 Jan 2021

China more than doubled its construction of new wind and solar power plants in 2020 from a year earlier, government data showed, reflecting Beijing’s pledge to cut fossil fuel dependence and bring carbon emissions to a peak within a decade.

China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, added 71.67 gigawatts (GW) of wind power capacity last year, the most ever and nearly triple 2019’s levels, according to data released by the National Energy Administration (NEA) late Wednesday.

China’s 2020 figure is ahead of the 60.4GW of new wind capacity added globally in 2019, according to data from the Global Wind Energy Council. New solar power capacity also rebounded in 2020 to 48.2GW after falling for two straight years, the data showed, beating an earlier industry estimate of 40GW.

The rise came as China announced an end to subsidies for new onshore wind power projects starting from 2021. The government has vowed to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to 25 per cent by 2030, President Xi Jinping said last month. They accounted for 15 per cent in 2020, up from just 6.8 per cent in 2005.

China would also take its total installed wind and solar capacity to 1,200GW, Xi added. By the end of 2020, China had 281.5GW of wind generation capacity, and 253.4GW of solar generation capacity, the NEA data showed.

“China’s smashing wind power building records and continuing with strong solar growth makes the country a top destination for foreign clean energy investment,” said Jeanett Bergan, an executive of Norway’s largest pension fund KLP.

To meet China's targets to slash emissions of carbon dioxide, authorities are pushing to shut down privately owned steel, coal, and other high-polluting factories scattered across rural areas like this one in Inner Mongolia. Photo: Getty Images

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China doubles new renewable capacity in 2020 and raises thermal plants base to five-year high

China’s 2020 figure is ahead of the 60.4GW of new wind capacity added globally in 2019, according to Global Wind Energy Council China seeks to raise the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to 25 per cent by 2030, up from 15 per cent in 2020

China’s 2020 figure is ahead of the 60.4GW of new wind capacity added globally in 2019, according to Global Wind Energy Council

China seeks to raise the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to 25 per cent by 2030, up from 15 per cent in 2020