China unveils five-year plan for renewable energy development

BEIJING - China has officially rolled out its plan for renewable energy development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the National Energy Administration (NEA) said Thursday.

The document was jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the NEA, noting that China's renewable energy sector will enter a new development stage featuring scale expansion, quality improvement and reliable substitution during the period.

According to the document, by 2030, the total consumption of renewable energy is expected to reach approximately 1.8 billion tons of standard coal equivalent.

By 2030, the total installed capacity of renewable energy power generation is projected to reach about 3.5 billion kilowatts, with an annual power generation of approximately 6 trillion kilowatt-hours. The combined installed capacity of wind and solar power is expected to exceed 2.8 billion kilowatts, with annual power generation surpassing 4 trillion kilowatt-hours.

Renewable energy refers to energy that can be continuously replenished and regenerated through natural processes within a relatively short period. It includes hydropower, wind power, solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, and marine energy. New energy refers to all renewable energy sources excluding hydropower, according to the document.