Solar, wind capacity surpasses coal in China

Research consultancy Rystad Energy is predicting solar power will become China's primary source of electricity by 2026, after the combined capacity of the country's deployed solar and wind power overtook coal for the first time in June.

Research consultancy Rystad Energy is predicting solar power will become China's primary source of electricity by 2026, after the combined capacity of the country's deployed solar and wind power overtook coal for the first time in June.

Solar and wind energy exceeded coal capacity in China for the first time in history in June, according to analysis by Norwegian research consultancy Rystad Energy.

The consultancy is predicting that by 2026, solar power will alone surpass coal as China’s primary source of electricity, with a cumulative capacity exceeding 1.38 TW, 150 GW more than coal.

While over 100 GW of new solar were deployed in China over the first six months of 2024, Rystad Energy found only 8 GW of coal was added. However, China remains the largest global consumer of coal, accounting for more than 50% of worldwide consumption.

Rystad Energy says the Chinese government is implementing stricter restrictions on new coal projects to meet carbon reduction goals. The consultants explained efforts are now focused on phasing out smaller coal plants, upgrading existing ones to reduce emissions and enforcing more stringent standards for new projects.