China Aims For Over 1,200 GW Wind & Solar Power By 2030

• China has committed to achieve over 1,200 GW solar and wind power installed capacity by 2030
• President Xi Jinping made the announcement at the UN Climate Change Summit
• The country will lower its CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by over 65% from the 2005 level, and increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25% by 2030

At the recently concluded United Nations (UN) Climate Change Summit on December 12, 2020 held virtually, China made a big determination to bolster its clean energy commitments. President Xi Jinping said his country will bring its total installed capacity of wind and solar power to over 1,200 GW by 2030.

Till the end of September 2020, China's cumulative installed solar PV and wind power capacity had reached 446, divided basically equally between the 2 technologies as 223 GW (see China Installed 18.7 GW New Solar PV During 9M/2020). Considering a clean split of 600 GW for both the technologies under this goal, it would mean the country installing around 40 GW of additional solar PV and wind power capacity each, annually to reach the 1,200 GW goal by 2030.

Recently, the Vice Chairman of China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) Wang Bohua said China has brought online about 40 GW of new solar PV capacity in 2020. A Reuters report quoted him as saying that the global PV giant is expected to add an average of 70 GW PV capacity annually between 2021-2025 under the 14^th Five-Year Plan, and could also hit a high of as much as 90 GW.

In September 2020, PV InfoLink said it expects China to add 45 GW solar PV capacity annually during the 14^th Five-Year Plan (see China's 14^th Five-Year Plan: 45 GW PV Annually?).

During the summit, Jinping also said China will lower its CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by over 65% from the 2005 level, and increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25% by 2030. "We aim to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060," said Jinping. These are China's Paris Agreement commitments.

He further added, "China always honors its commitments. Guided by our new development philosophy, we will promote greener economic and social development in all respects while pursuing high-quality development. We will take solid steps to implement the targets just announced, and contribute even more to tackling the global climate challenge."

This comes soon after the Chinese President pledged a carbon neutrality target for the country to be achieved by 2060 at the September 2020 UN General Assembly; back then he did not share any specific roadmap (see China Declares Carbon Neutrality Goal By 2060).