China’s solar power capacity has officially crossed the 1 terawatt (TW) mark, underscoring the nation’s rapid strides in its clean energy transition. According to the National Energy Administration (NEA), installed solar capacity reached 1.08 TW (1,080 GW) by the end of May 2025—a 56.9% increase compared to the previous year.
This achievement comes on the heels of a record-breaking installation spree. Between January and May 2025, China added 197.85 GW of new solar capacity, a remarkable 388% jump from the same period in 2024. May alone saw 92.92 GW installed, up 105% from April, marking the highest monthly figure ever recorded.
The NEA reported that China’s total power generation capacity now stands at 3.61 TW, up 18.8% year on year, with solar leading the growth. Analysts attribute this surge to supportive government policies, including incentives for distributed solar and new mechanisms allowing renewables to participate in electricity markets. These factors prompted developers to fast-track projects ahead of anticipated policy adjustments in the latter half of 2025.
China’s solar journey began in earnest in 2010, when the Golden Sun Program helped the country achieve its first 1 GW of installed capacity, laying the foundation for its distributed solar sector. Following trade disputes with the United States and Europe in 2011–2012, Beijing shifted its focus to domestic support, driving a boom in utility-scale solar in the northwest and pushing capacity to 10 GW by mid-2013.
Further acceleration came with initiatives like the Top Runner Program, which spurred technological innovation and efficiency improvements. By June 2017, China’s installed solar capacity had surpassed 100 GW—a tenfold increase in just four years. Now, eight years later, China has become the first country in the world to reach 1 TW of solar capacity, cementing its position as the global leader in solar energy.
However, experts caution that installation momentum may slow in the second half of 2025 as the current wave of policy-driven growth tapers off. Several market analysts have issued more conservative forecasts, anticipating a cooling of demand as the sector adjusts to the new policy landscape.
it is currently one of the largest exporters of photovoltaic products in China.
IPv6 network supported
English
