Up Goes Clean Energy, Down Go Emissions

Thanks to a record surge of clean energy in 2024, China’s carbon dioxide emissions remained below 2023 levels, and power generation from non-fossil sources grew more than 500 terawatt hours from 2023 to 2024.

Solar and wind capacity additions have increased by 28% and 5% year-on-year in 2024, respectively, with 277 gigawatts (GW) of solar and 79GW of wind connected to the grid. According to TrendForce New Energy Research Center, solar power capacity additions should stay at the record levels seen in 2024 with approximately 265GW added to the grid.

It was predicted that China’s emissions would begin to fall by March 2024 and continue to decline, leading to a 2% reduction by the end of the entire year. It turns out that clean-energy additions accelerated further in 2024, with new records of solar and wind capacity added that are expected to be reached. According to China International Capital Corporation, wind power should set a new record of 110-120GW capacity added in 2025. Of this, 14-17GW is expected to be offshore wind power – up from 7GW in 2024. China aims to integrate more than 200GW of new wind and solar onto the grid annually in 2025-27. The growth in clean-energy supply in 2024 far exceeded the total energy demand recorded in any year from 2015 to 2020.