China's non-fossil fuel power generation capacity hits a record high

China's non-fossil fuel power generation capacity reached a historic two-billion-kilowatt milestone by the end of February, signaling a major acceleration in the nation's transition away from fossil fuels, according to data released by the China Electricity Council on Thursday.

It is the first time the country's installed capacity of non-fossil energy power generation reached the two-billion-kilowatt threshold, with a year-on-year increase of 23.3 percent, cementing China as a global leader in clean energy deployment, it said.

The overall non-fossil fuel power generation capacity has doubled since the start of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), a 103.1 percent cumulative growth over the period, it said.

Non-fossil energy now accounts for 58.8 percent of China's total power generation capacity, up 4.2 percentage points from the same period last year and a 14-percentage point rise since 2021, it said.

Wind and solar power are leading this green surge, with combined installed capacity reaching 1.46 billion kilowatts by the end of February. This reflects a 32.5 percent year-on-year increase and now constitutes 42.8 percent of China's total power capacity.

This growth is underpinned by China's commitment to its "dual carbon" targets. The council emphasized that this rapid growth highlights the power industry's dedication to achieving carbon neutrality and optimizing the nation's energy structure.