A RACE TO THE TOP: CHINA 2023 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT

China has established itself as the global leader in renewable energy, with operating large utility-scale solar capacity of 228 GW and combined wind capacity exceeding 310 GW. The country is pursuing a strategy of 'mega wind and solar bases' in its northern and northwestern deserts to meet a central government target of 1,200 GW of cumulative capacity by 2030, a goal it is likely to surpass by 2025. This expansion is driven by a combination of historical feed-in tariffs, favorable financing from state-owned banks, and strict provincial targets. However, the report notes that new renewables bases are often bundled with new coal-fired power plants to manage intermittency, potentially hindering the phase-out of fossil fuels. To address volatility, China is implementing 'source-grid-load-storage' integration, expanding new energy storage, and developing green hydrogen production.

• China is the global leader in utility-scale renewables, with operating large utility-scale solar capacity reaching 228 GW, which is more than the rest of the world combined. Its combined onshore and offshore wind capacity has surpassed 310 GW, roughly equaling the capacity of the next seven top countries globally combined.
• China is on track to meet or exceed its 2030 target of 1,200 GW of cumulative wind and solar capacity five years early. GEM has identified 379 GW of prospective large utility-scale solar and 371 GW of prospective wind capacity, most of which are scheduled for installation by the end of 2025.
• The central government is focusing on 'mega wind and solar bases' in the arid regions of Inner Mongolia and Northwest China. A second wave of these bases, totaling 455 GW, is planned for completion by 2030, with 200 GW targeted for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025).
• China's success is underpinned by dominance in the global supply chain, controlling over 80% of every stage of solar power manufacturing. In the wind sector, seven of the top ten global manufacturers are Chinese, supported by a 2005 mandate requiring wind farms to source at least 70% of equipment domestically.
• To manage the intermittency of renewables, China is integrating new coal capacity into new renewables bases as 'pillars of support.' Evidence suggests that planned shipments from these bases will consist of approximately 55% renewables and 45% coal power, which may slow the phase-out of coal.
• China is aggressively expanding energy storage and green hydrogen to stabilize the grid. The government aims for over 30 GW of new energy storage capacity by 2025. Additionally, at least 19 GW of wind and solar capacity is currently associated with downstream hydrogen use.

APA

Mei, D., Weil, M., Prasad, S., O’Malia, K., & Behrsin, I. (2023). A RACE TO THE TOP: CHINA 2023 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-RTTT-China-2023-report-English-1_24.pdf

Chicago

Mei, Dorothy, Martin Weil, Shradhey Prasad, Kasandra O’Malia, and Ingrid Behrsin. A RACE TO THE TOP: CHINA 2023 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT. Global Energy Monitor, 2023. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-RTTT-China-2023-report-English-1_24.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mei |first1=Dorothy |last2=Weil |first2=Martin |last3=Prasad |first3=Shradhey |last4=O’Malia |first4=Kasandra |last5=Behrsin |first5=Ingrid |title=A RACE TO THE TOP: CHINA 2023 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=June 2023 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-RTTT-China-2023-report-English-1_24.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mei2023race, author = {Mei, Dorothy and Weil, Martin and Prasad, Shradhey and O’Malia, Kasandra and Behrsin, Ingrid}, title = {{A RACE TO THE TOP: CHINA 2023 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-RTTT-China-2023-report-English-1_24.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }