China unveils 2026‑2030 renewable energy plan targeting 1.8 bn tce output

China’s National Energy Administration announced a new renewable‑energy roadmap for the 15th Five‑Year Plan (2026‑2030). The plan sets a binding target of 1.8 billion tonnes of coal‑equivalent renewable generation by 2030, up from 1.18 billion tonnes projected for 2025, and aims to raise wind and solar output by 53 %.

Key components include more than 300 GW of renewable peaking capacity, 570 GW of total hydropower (including 160 GW of pumped‑storage), and a focus on reliability: by 2030 wind and solar backed by storage should supply 8 % of installed capacity during peak periods and cover 20 % of electricity use in demand spikes. The plan also targets 150 million tonnes of coal‑equivalent wind/solar use outside the power sector, promotes green‑hydrogen production of 2 million tonnes per year, and calls for offshore‑wind megabases, deep‑sea wind farms and integration with underwater data centres. Total installed renewable capacity is slated to reach about 3.5 billion kW, with wind‑plus‑solar exceeding 2.8 billion kW.

Separate industry data show China’s solar PV installations fell 66 % YoY in the first half of 2026, adding only 72 GW of new capacity, while exports continued to grow, highlighting a short‑term adjustment within the broader transition.