By Cui Yan, People’s Daily
Traveling along China’s coastal highways today, one frequently encounters vast stretches of wind farms, their towering turbines steadily spinning under the open sky – a striking emblem of the country’s accelerating energy transition.
In the first quarter of this year, the country’s installed capacity of wind and photovoltaic power reached 1.482 billion kilowatts, exceeding that of thermal power for the first time in history.
With the rapid expansion of renewable installations, wind and solar power are set to continue leading China’s energy mix in the years ahead, reflecting a profound adjustment of the country’s energy structure.
Once niche industries, China’s wind and solar sectors have grown into global frontrunners in both innovation and manufacturing, progressing from reliance on foreign core technologies to becoming the world’s largest exporter of wind and solar equipment.
Perseverance and practical action
China’s energy transition is above all a story of steady determination and pragmatic policymaking. Over time, the country has pursued a carefully structured approach to advancing its energy revolution. Central to this revolution is the development of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system.
Step by step, China has implemented tangible measures: building pilot zones for photovoltaic development and large-scale renewable energy bases, fostering rapid innovation through demonstration projects, and refining regulatory frameworks for renewable energy pricing, consumption guarantees, and market mechanisms. These sustained efforts have laid the groundwork for renewables to become a new pillar of the country’s modern industrial system.
Innovation as driving force
At the core of this energy transformation lies a relentless pursuit of innovation. Technological advancement has propelled China to the forefront of global renewable energy development, with breakthroughs spanning materials, design, and technology.
The country has developed a 26-megawatt offshore wind turbine, the largest of its kind in the world, with all 30,000 components produced domestically and key technologies leading the world. It has also developed the longest wind turbine blades, supporting onshore turbines as tall as 60-story skyscrapers. In photovoltaics, China’s all-perovskite tandem solar cells have achieved a record-setting 28.2 percent photoelectric conversion efficiency. These accomplishments underscore a broader ecosystem of innovation that continues to fuel progress in clean energy technologies.
Global vision for sustainable development
China actively contributes its green development achievements to global progress. Acknowledging energy security and climate change as shared global challenges, the country accelerates its green, low-carbon transition while promoting sustainable development worldwide.
China has built the world’s largest and most complete new energy industrial chain and expanded the global reach of its photovoltaic and wind power equipment. China has always prioritized practical cooperation through technology transfer and supply chain integration, serving as a committed advocate and contributor to global green and low-carbon development.
Today, China is collaborating on green energy projects with over 100 countries and regions, launching a large number of signature projects and “small yet smart” people-centered programs. The success of China’s wind and solar industries is not only a testament to the country’s own unwavering energy transition, but reflects its outward-looking vision to foster global green transformation.
China’s progress in wind and solar energy reflects its commitment to achieving domestic development while enabling global sustainability. As Jack Perry, chairman of Britain’s 48 Group Club, has observed, China’s renewable energy expertise serves as a source of hope for other developing countries pursuing modernization. The U.S. Brookings Institution has described China as a global leader in non-fossil energy, clean transportation and green finance – “the world’s greatest hope” in these fields.
This hope is carried forward with every turn of a Chinese turbine blade, delivering not only a strong current of electric power, but also a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
Photo shows a solar farm in Gaomiao township, Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province. (Photo by Sun Meng/People’s Daily Online)
Photo shows a wind farm in Yixi village, Yongfeng county, Ji’an, east China’s Jiangxi province. (Photo by Liu Haojun/People’s Daily Online)
Wind power equipment are loaded onto ships bound for Belt and Road partner countries at a terminal in east China’s Jiangsu province, March 13, 2025. (Photo by Ji Haixin/People’s Daily Online)
