China had arrived at an installed capacity of 895GW in renewable energy in 2020, which surpassed the total volume to that of the EU, US, and Australia, amidst annual increment. According to Reuters, the country is now planning for establishment of larger solar-wind hybrid power plants, and is expected to construct a 450GW renewable energy park at the desert.
Reuters pointed out that China is currently preparing for a series of large-scale solar and wind power programs that would elevate the country’s installed capacity in renewable energy by nearly 1TW. He Lifeng, Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, pointed out at the National People’s Congress several days ago that China will be establishing the largest solar and wind power plants at the Gobi Desert that measures at 450GW in installed capacity.
The large hybrid power plant has now completed 1/4 of construction, and is currently establishing 100GW of capacity.
China accumulated 306GW and 328GW of solar and wind power capacity as of the end of 2021. As a segment in energy transformation and reduction of carbon emission, President Xi Jinping promised to elevate the installed capacity of solar and wind power to 1.2TW by 2030.
Despite need of lowering the ratio of coal-fired power generation, China also needs to stabilize intermittent renewable energy through coal-fired power generation and UHV power lines, since the lack of energy storage systems or proper power dispatches would lead to a significant loss of electricity generated by renewable energy during days without sunlight or wind, which drastically impacts the stability of power supply.
Han Zheng, Vice Premier of the State Council, also commented that China should fully exert the “basic guarantees of coal in energy provision”. The National Development and Reform Commission pointed out from the previously announced working plan of 2022 that the country will continue to exercise peak shaving and support for traditional energy such as coal and coal-firing.
(Cover photo is a sketch; source: Flickr/Bureau of Land Management CC BY 2.0)