China’s solar capacity overtakes coal, reshaping nation’s power mix

China’s total installed solar capacity has surpassed coal for the first time, hitting 1.286 billion kW versus 1.285 billion kW of coal-based capacity. The China Electricity Council notes the figure now dwarfs the photovoltaic capacity of the United States, India, Germany and the entire European Union. Liu Zhiqiang of the CEC’s planning department called the achievement a cornerstone for meeting the nation’s carbon-peaking and neutrality goals, highlighting the boost to domestic supply chains and global leadership in solar technology.

Coal generators are being repositioned as flexible, auxiliary resources that can quickly adjust output to balance solar variability, especially at night or during cloudy periods. Experts caution that because solar utilisation remains lower than fossil fuels, coal will still play a key role in grid reliability until flexible storage and smart-grid solutions are expanded.