China’s Unprecedented Advances in Solar Energy
China is making remarkable progress in the energy sector, achieving milestones that are challenging for many to fully grasp. In the previous year alone, the nation boosted its installed energy capacity by an impressive 14.6 percent, reaching a total of 3,348 gigawatts (GW). Concurrently, China is heavily investing in renewable energy, particularly solar power, and is deploying unparalleled capacities.
Massive Capacity Equivalent to Half of the US
China’s goal of achieving 888 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity by 2024 has rapidly advanced with the addition of 278 GW in a single year. Jesse Peltan from the Abundance Institute notes that this figure is 57 percent more than the United States’ total installed solar capacity, which stands at 177GW. What’s even more striking is that China’s vast capacity could potentially meet 44 percent of its entire electricity demand if it operated at the US solar capacity factor. Although the US has a greater solar potential, especially in the Southeast, China has significantly outpaced the US in solar energy output.
China’s Solar Output Surpasses US Nuclear
Data indicates that China generates three times more electricity from solar power than the US, despite having fewer solar resources. By March 2024, China’s solar electricity production was 50 percent higher than the total energy generated by all US nuclear power plants. In fact, China’s solar energy output has already doubled that of its nuclear energy production. With this momentum, solar power in China now contributes to a quarter of the total electricity generation of the United States.
Despite this rapid growth, China continues to push forward. The Global Solar Power Tracker reports that more than 720 GW of solar capacity is being developed in China, with approximately 250 GW under construction, 300 GW in pre-construction, and 177 GW announced as future projects. Meanwhile, the US is also expanding its solar capacity, but not at a pace comparable to China. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), US capacity is projected to exceed 182 GW by the end of 2026.
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