Li Chuangjun, Director of the Department of New and Renewable Energy, National Energy Administration  

The 2025 National Energy Work Conference emphasized the need to adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, better coordinate development and security, further advance the energy revolution, accelerate the planning and construction of a new energy system, and strive to write a new chapter in high-quality energy development at a new starting point. The Department of New and Renewable Energy of the National Energy Administration (hereinafter referred to as the "New Energy Department") has earnestly implemented the arrangements of the National Energy Work Conference, focused on the "dual-carbon" goals, continuously strengthened research on major issues, supply of major policies, and construction of major projects, and promoted the leapfrog development of new and renewable energy, laying a solid foundation for the successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan.  

New and renewable energy enters a new stage of large-scale, high-proportion development  

In 2024, under the guidance of the new strategy for energy security featuring "four revolutions and one cooperation", through the joint efforts of the entire industry, China's new and renewable energy continued to maintain a good momentum of high-quality leapfrog development, and its role in ensuring energy security supply and supporting the green and low-carbon transformation of energy became increasingly prominent.  

First, the installed capacity of renewable energy power generation exceeded half, and the installed capacity of new energy surpassed coal-fired power for the first time. By the end of 2024, China's installed capacity of renewable energy power generation reached 1.889 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 24.6%, accounting for more than half of the total installed capacity for the second consecutive year. Among them, the combined installed capacity of wind and photovoltaic power reached 1.406 billion kilowatts, completing China's commitment at the Climate Ambition Summit to "achieve a total installed capacity of wind and solar power of more than 1.2 billion kilowatts by 2030" six years ahead of schedule, and surpassing the installed capacity of coal-fired power for the first time. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, China's newly added installed capacity of wind and photovoltaic power has exceeded 100 million kilowatts for four consecutive years. In 2024, the newly added installed capacity reached 357 million kilowatts, driving the newly added installed capacity of renewable energy to 373 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 23%, accounting for about 86% of the newly added installed capacity of power generation. The newly added installed capacity of renewable energy has exceeded 300 million kilowatts for two consecutive years, accounting for more than 50% of the global newly added installed capacity.  

Second, the proportion of renewable energy power generation exceeded one-third, and the proportion of new energy power generation was close to 20%. In 2024, China's renewable energy power generation reached 3.47 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for about 35.2% of total power generation, exceeding the total social electricity consumption of the European Union in 2023. Among them, the combined power generation of wind and solar energy reached 1.83 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for about 18.6% of total social electricity consumption, exceeding the electricity consumption of the national tertiary industry. Renewable energy power generation increased by 541.9 billion kilowatt-hours compared with the same period in 2023, accounting for about 86% of the newly added social electricity consumption. The average utilization rate of renewable energy nationwide remained above 95%.  

Third, distributed energy has become a new force in the development of new energy, with distributed photovoltaic accounting for more than 40% of total photovoltaic power generation. Efforts have been made to promote the local and nearby development and utilization of wind and photovoltaic power, and activities such as county-wide rooftop distributed photovoltaic development, the "Thousands of Towns and Villages Harnessing Wind" initiative, and the "Thousands of Households Bathed in Sunshine" initiative have been organized. By the end of 2024, the national installed capacity of distributed photovoltaic power reached 370 million kilowatts, 121 times that of 2013, accounting for 42% of the total installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation and 41% of total photovoltaic power generation. Especially in the central and southern regions, distributed photovoltaic accounted for 65% of the newly added photovoltaic installed capacity in 2024. The large-scale development and utilization of distributed new energy has played an important role in building a diversified clean energy supply system, ensuring energy supply, and助力 rural revitalization in the central and southern regions.  


Overall, the fact that renewable energy installed capacity accounts for more than half, new energy power generation installed capacity exceeds coal-fired power, and power generation accounts for nearly 20% marks that China's new and renewable energy has entered a new stage of large-scale, high-proportion leapfrog development. New and renewable energy has become an important force in ensuring energy security and a leading force in promoting energy transformation.  

New improvements in the management of the new and renewable energy industry  

In 2024, the New Energy Department resolutely implemented the requirements of the Party Leadership Group of the National Energy Administration, worked together, overcome difficulties, performed its duties, and took on responsibilities, effectively ensuring the successful completion of various tasks, and achieving new improvements in industry management.  

First, focusing on the top-level design of the industry, in-depth planning formulation and implementation were carried out. Efforts were made to implement the 14th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development, and research on the 15th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development was organized. Currently, research results for all 21 special topics have been formed, and a preliminary planning framework has been developed on this basis. The plan for the Southeast Tibet (Yucha) integrated hydropower, wind, and solar energy base was issued, and phased results were achieved in the planning of the integrated hydropower, wind, and solar energy bases in the upper reaches of the Lancang River and Jinsha River.  

Second, serving the development needs of the industry, policy supply was continuously strengthened. Collaboration was carried out with the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress on the revision of the Renewable Energy Law, and a draft revision proposal was formulated. To implement the requirement of "promoting the use and international mutual recognition of green electricity" proposed in the government work report, three green certificate policies were studied and issued, including rules for green certificate issuance and trading, connection between green certificates and the voluntary emission reduction market, and opinions on promoting the high-quality development of the green certificate market, continuously improving the green certificate system, and actively promoting the "going global" of green certificates. To promote the consumption of renewable energy, a joint circular with multiple departments, "Guiding Opinions on Vigorously Implementing Renewable Energy Replacement Actions", was issued, and the consumption responsibility weight was assigned to key industries and key energy-using units, with clear targets for the proportion of green electricity consumption in the electrolytic aluminum industry, which is calculated using green certificates. The "Interim Measures for the Development and Construction Management of Pumped Storage Power Stations" was formulated, and the "Measures for the Development and Construction Management of Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation" was revised and issued. A notice on strengthening the performance management of central budget investment for rural power grid consolidation and upgrading was issued.  

Third, bearing in mind "the great affairs of the country", efforts were made to promote major projects. Full efforts were made to advance the construction of the "Shagehuang" (desert, gobi, and desertified areas) large-scale bases. Four dispatching meetings on renewable energy development and construction were organized, three special consultations were held, two supervision letters were issued, and investigations were conducted in Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Liaoning, Hebei and other provinces to promote local governments and development enterprises to accelerate base construction on-site. Coordination was also carried out with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on land use, forest use, and environmental impact assessment issues. Currently, the first batch of bases has basically been completed and put into operation, and the second and third batches are being accelerated. Efforts were made to promote the approval of the Yaxia Hydropower Project as scheduled, and in accordance with the principle of "the state determines the scale, and local governments determine the projects", the construction scale and timeline of pumped storage projects in each province from 2024 to 2028 were clarified. Together with relevant departments, efforts were made to promote the construction of the integrated wind and photovoltaic projects for desertification control in the "Three Norths" (Northwest, North, and Northeast China) regions, assist in formulating the plan for photovoltaic sand control in desert, gobi, and desertified areas, and issue the "Notice on Matters Concerning the Orderly Promotion of the Development and Construction of Photovoltaic Sand Control Projects". Six pilot provinces, including Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Tibet, and Qinghai, were organized to launch a survey of wind and solar energy resources.  

Fourth, actively serving energy-related people's livelihood and promoting the green transformation of rural energy. The "Thousands of Towns and Villages Harnessing Wind" initiative was implemented, and the "Notice on Organizing the 'Thousands of Towns and Villages Harnessing Wind' Initiative" was issued. A on-site promotion meeting was held in Henan, and 15 provinces across the country have launched the initiative. The evaluation and review of county-wide rooftop distributed photovoltaic promotion were completed. A central budget investment plan of 5 billion yuan for rural power grids in 2024 was allocated to promote the construction and transformation of rural power grids. On the basis of the orderly advancement of the first batch of 15 pilots, the list of the second batch of 8 rural energy revolution pilots was announced and their implementation was promoted.  

Painting a new picture of new and renewable energy development  

2025 is the closing year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and a crucial year for planning the 15th Five-Year Plan. In the new year, we will adhere to expanding quantity and improving quality, upholding integrity and pursuing innovation, and strive to achieve qualitative improvement of renewable energy on the basis of continuing to develop vigorously and expanding the total volume.  

Accelerating legal revisions and planning formulation. In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress, further in-depth research will be conducted on key issues such as renewable energy participation in electricity market transactions to promote the formation of a high-quality draft revision of the Renewable Energy Law. On the basis of 21 special studies, further research will be conducted on the development ideas of renewable energy during the 15th Five-Year Plan to form a preliminary draft of the plan.  

Promoting the construction of major projects. In accordance with the requirements of the Central Economic Work Conference on accelerating the construction of "Shagehuang" new energy bases, efforts will be made to accelerate the construction of the second and third batches of large-scale bases, with the two batches striving to complete and put into operation about 50 million kilowatts by the end of 2025. Actively and steadily promote the development and construction of major strategic hydropower projects, urge the acceleration of the construction of integrated hydropower, wind, and solar energy bases, and guide all provinces to promote the construction of pumped storage projects in a robust and orderly manner. Vigorously promote the development of offshore wind power towards deep water and far shore. Summarize the pilot survey of wind and solar energy resources to lay the foundation for subsequent surveys nationwide.  

Promoting integrated development of new energy. Study and promote the implementation plan for the integrated development of new energy, support areas rich in new energy resources such as deserts, gobi, and desertified areas to establish industrial systems suitable for the characteristics of new energy, actively develop new energy-based hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohol industries, promote the coordinated and integrated development of new energy and other industries, and fully leverage the advantages of new energy to drive the layout of productive forces. Support the central and southern regions to vigorously develop rooftop distributed photovoltaic and offshore wind power, actively explore the construction of new market entities such as smart microgrids and virtual power plants, and accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of industries in the central and southern regions.  

Expanding the demand for the green certificate market. In conjunction with the implementation of the Energy Law, implement the mechanism for promoting green electricity consumption, improve the renewable energy power consumption responsibility weight, and strengthen the responsibility of all types of users in society for green electricity consumption. Vigorously cultivate the green certificate market, issue the "Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Green Certificate Market", and improve the level of green energy use in society. Promote international mutual recognition of green certificates to help expand foreign trade exports.  

Strengthening energy-related people's livelihood security. Continue to promote the construction and transformation of rural power grids, conduct research and formulate plans for rural power grid construction and transformation during the 15th Five-Year Plan, and revise the management measures for central budget investment in rural power grids. Continue to promote the "Thousands of Towns and Villages Harnessing Wind" initiative and the "Thousands of Households Bathed in Sunshine" initiative, and promote the development of distributed new energy.  

Increasing policy research and reserves. Study and draft the "Measures for the Upgrading, Transformation and Decommissioning Management of Photovoltaic Power Stations" to improve the resource utilization efficiency and power generation capacity of photovoltaic power stations. Study support policies for off-grid wind power and photovoltaic hydrogen production to promote non-electric utilization of renewable energy. Collect excellent practice cases of innovative development of "hydropower, wind, solar +" to encourage the exploration of new models and formats for 100% renewable energy supply and consumption.  

(Source: China Electric Power News)