China Installed 18.7 GW New Solar PV During 9M/2020

• NEA says between 9M/2020 China installed 18.7 GW solar PV capacity, growing from 16 GW added during same time last year
• It comprises 10.04 GW of utility scale solar and 8.66 GW of distributed PV capacity
• Maximum capacity addition during the period was reported from northern China with 8 GW installed
• At the end of 2020, solar PV's cumulative installed share in Chinese renewable energy capacity reached 223 GW, and it was the same for wind energy as well

The National Energy Administration (NEA) of China has confirmed the country installed 18.7 GW of newly installed solar PV capacity between January 2020 and September 2020, led by large scale solar power plants. Of this total, 10.04 GW came from utility scale and 8.66 GW from distributed PV projects.

The northern region of China accounted for 8 GW alone of this 18.7 GW new capacity addition, followed by 3.5 GW by east China, 2.04 GW in central region, 1.97 GW in northwest, 1.93 GW in south and 1.27 GW in northeast China.

China's cumulative installed solar PV capacity till the end of September 2020 reached 223 GW, with the addition of the capacity installed in 9M/2020. With these additions, China has surpassed 16 GW it reported for 9M/2019 (see China Installed 16 GW Solar PV In 9M/2019).

It also means in Q3/2020, the country added over 7 GW of new capacity since till the end of H1/2020 it installed 11.52 GW (see NEA: China Installed 11.52 GW Solar PV In H1/2020).

During 9M/2020, the installed solar PV capacity in the Asian giant generated 2,005 billion kWh, growing 16.9% annually. Average curtailment rate across the nation during the reporting period was close to 3.43 billion kWh.

At the end of September 2020, China's cumulative installed renewable energy capacity expanded 9.6% YoY to 837 GW. Incidentally, wind power too accounts for 223 GW having installed 13.92 GW during 9M/2020 comprising both onshore (216 GW) and offshore wind (7.5 GW).