China’s solar increased by 33.7 % in the first quarter, while coal power increased at 1.8%. Solar now has a cumulative 430 GW online, almost half of China’s cumulative total of coal power plants; 1,130 GW.
The latest quarterly report by the China Electricity Council titled Operational Situation of Electric Power Industry from January to March 2023 indicates that solar (inclusive of both PV and CSP) grew at 33.7% year on year since 2022.
[Ed: SolarPACES has been alerted to a mistranslation of the original Chinese, now corrected in this revised news item.]
“…Solar power generation now totals 430 million kilowatts (430 GW) (of which, photovoltaic power generation and solar thermal power generation added in the first quarter were 42,522 and 670,000 kilowatts, respectively), a year-on-year increase of 33.7%.”
“…Hydropower 420 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 5.4%. Thermal power was 1.34 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 3.0%. Among them, coal-fired power generation was 1.13 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 1.8%, gas-fired power generation was 120 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 7.4%, and biomass power generation was 41.95 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 8.0%. Nuclear power was 56.76 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 4.3%. Wind power was 380 million kilowatts (of which, onshore wind power and offshore wind power were 34,484 and 30.89 million kilowatts, respectively), a year-on-year increase of 11.7%.
The full report can be read in Chinese and English at China Electricity Council: Operational Situation of Electric Power Industry from January to March 2023
This news is covered also at Green World Investor
China has installed twice as much solar (PV and CSP) as coal – and has 30 CSP projects under construction, mostly central Tower CSP like this one IMAGE@GrupoCobra
In general, solar and wind increased in the first quarter at far higher rates year on year than coal, nuclear and hydro:
“From January to March, the hydropower generation of power plants above designated size across the country was 203.5 billion kwh, a year-on-year decrease of 8.3%. The top three provinces in terms of hydropower generation in the country are Sichuan, Yunnan and Hubei, whose total hydropower generation accounts for 66.3% of the national hydropower generation, with growth rates of 13.8%, 1.8% and -27.4% respectively.
From January to March, the thermal power generation of power plants above designated size across the country was 1,495.1 billion kwh, a year-on-year increase of 1.7%. In terms of provinces, thermal power generation in 5 provinces including Guangxi, Chongqing, Hunan, Guizhou and Hainan increased by more than 10%, while thermal power generation in Shanghai, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Jilin and Fujian decreased by more than 5%.
From January to March, the national nuclear power generation capacity was 103.3 billion kwh, a year-on-year increase of 4.4%.
From January to March, the national grid-connected wind power plants generated 228.7 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 24.5%.”
China now has 30 CSP projects with thermal energy storage underway
