China Energy Outlook 2020 - Flipbook - Page 45
Although China is the largest producer and user of renewable electricity, recent strong growth
in total electricity demand has led to expanded use of fossil fuel-based power. Between 2017
and 2018, fossil fuel-based electricity generation increased by 260 TWh, higher than growth in
all non-fossil sources of electricity (221 TWh).
Figure 1-25 and Table 1-3 show that in 2018 China added 45 GW of solar power generation
capacity, or 36% of the total added power capacity that year, exceeding the added thermal
(coal and natural gas) power capacity (41 GW). Wind power capacity increased by 21 GW,
representing 17% of the added power generation capacity. Nuclear power generation capacity
increased by 8.8 GW (7%), closely followed by hydro power capacity 8.5 GW (7%). Overall,
China added 83 GW of zero-carbon capacity (67% of all capacity additions) in 2018 (CEC, 2019a)
During the first three quarters of 2019, thermal capacity additions continued to increase at
about the same pace as in 2018, while capacity additions of all of the non-fossil sources were
less than the 75% level of 2018 additions, with solar additions significantly lower (CEC, 2019b).
Figure 1-25. China’s Newly Added Installed Electricity Capacity 2018 and First Three Quarters of 2019
Source: CEC, 2019a; CEC, 2019b.
Note: does not include biomass
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