China aims to add solar capacity to reach climate targets

China is expected to add 120-140 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity each year during the 2023-2030 period, as the country sped up renewable installations to reach its ambitious climate targets, an industry group said on Thursday.

Global newly added solar capacity is hopefully expected to reach 330-516 GW each year, according to the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.

Wang Bohua, the honorary chairman of the association, said that China has set a record for solar power production and export last year, with production for polycrystalline silicon, wafer, cell and module all rising more than 50 percent year-on-year. Solar product exports meanwhile rose 80 percent year-on-year, he said.

China is expected to add 95 to 120 GW of solar power in 2023, which would be a record increase in annual capacity installation.

The world's biggest solar products maker and solar power generator brought 86.05 GW of new solar power into operation in 2022, driving the total installed capacity to 392.61 GW.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn