China's renewables capacity grew 12% to 728GW in 2018

Wind and solar took up 20GW and 44GW of the total new capacity, respectively.

According to the Chinese National Energy Administration, total installed power capacity in China rose by 6.5% in 2018 and reached 1,900 MW. Thermal capacities accounted for around 1/3 of new capacity additions. Renewable capacities - including hydropower - surged by 12% to around 728 GW, i.e. 38% of China's installed capacity. Hydropower capacity increased by around 3% to 352 GW, while wind capacity rose by 12% (+20 GW) to 184 GW and solar capacity surged by more than 33% (+44 GW) to nearly 175 GW.

According to preliminary statistics, domestic power consumption rose by 8.5% in 2018, as demand from the industrial sector rose by more than 7%. The demand from the service sector and from households was also very dynamic (+13% and +10%, respectively, in 2018).

The country's NDRC set a target of 1 900 TWh of renewable power generation by 2020 (+200 TWh compared to 2017 levels), to cover 27% of the country's power generation. By this date, installed renewable power capacity should reach 680 GW (+50 GW compared to 2017 levels).

This article was originally published by Enerdata.