China: China is accelerating its clean energy expansion with 510 GW of utility-scale solar and wind power currently under construction, according to a new report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM). The country now boasts the largest renewable energy buildout globally, accounting for 74 % of all solar and wind projects being built worldwide.
The GEM report reveals that China has 1.3 TW of utility-scale wind and solar in the pipeline, comprising 709 GW of solar and 593 GW of wind capacity. Of this, 287 GW of solar and 223 GW of wind are already under active development.
With 1.4 TW of wind and solar already installed – 44 % of global utility-scale capacity – China continues to set new records. In 2024 alone, the country added 357 GW, including the 3.5-GW Midong PV farm, now the world’s largest single-site solar plant.
For the first time, China’s renewable capacity surpassed thermal generation in Q1 2025, contributing nearly 23 % of the nation’s electricity use, up from 18 % the previous year, according to the National Energy Administration.
China is also cementing its leadership in offshore wind, having grown capacity from under 5 GW in 2018 to 42.7 GW in 2025. The coastal push continues, with 67 GW of offshore wind projects in the pipeline and 28 GW already under construction.
“China has long been at the forefront of renewable energy deployment,” said Mengqi Zhang, a researcher at Global Energy Monitor. “But what is remarkable is the opportunity this scale offers to decarbonise the country’s industrial base and move away from fossil fuel reliance.”
Despite recent challenges in offshore wind markets, China’s momentum suggests the country will remain a cornerstone of global efforts to drive a clean energy future.
Source: Renewables Now
