Solar surpasses coal as China’s top source of power capacity
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Solar capacity reached 1,286 gigawatts at the end of July, accounting for 31.5 per cent of China’s total installed power generation capacity.
PHOTO: AFP
- Solar power capacity in China reached 1,286 gigawatts by July, surpassing coal as the country's top power source, accounting for 31.5% of total installed capacity.
- China's solar generation grew 15.5% to 802.4 billion kilowatt-hours in the first seven months of 2026, contributing about one-eighth of total power generation.
- Despite a slowdown in renewable installations after policy changes, China remains a global leader with expected investments over two trillion yuan in solar over five years.
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BEIJING – Solar panels are now China’s top source of power capacity, surpassing coal in a key milestone for the country’s green energy boom.
Solar capacity reached 1,286 gigawatts at the end of July, accounting for 31.5 per cent of China’s total installed power generation capacity, state broadcaster China Central Television reported, citing the National Energy Administration.
The China Electricity Council had earlier flagged that solar capacity was just 1GW behind coal at the end of June.
China remains the dominant player in the global solar supply chain, with investment in the sector expected to top two trillion yuan (S$378.4 billion) over the next five years, the report added.
Solar generation rose 15.5 per cent from a year earlier to 802.4 billion kilowatt-hours in the first seven months of 2026, about one-eighth of the country’s total.
The solar milestone is happening even as China’s record pace of renewable installations has slowed significantly in 2026, after a policy overhaul ended guaranteed revenue for wind and solar projects.
The country added 86 gigawatts of solar in the first seven months of 2026, after adding 93 gigawatts in May 2025 alone, the last month before the new policy went into effect. Bloomberg
