China's Photovoltaic Industry Boosts Global Energy Green Transition
Time：2025-02-01 Click：363
CNR.cn 2025 - 01 - 13 09:40
Recently, the photovoltaic equipment in China's Kubuqi Desert has attracted the attention of foreign media. South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo recently published an article saying that the vast desert is covered with blue photovoltaic panels, which is the "Steed Power Station" built in the Kubuqi Desert in China. Nearly 200,000 photovoltaic panels form the shape of a horse, symbolizing China's efforts on the road to becoming a major clean energy country.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) publicly released satellite images of the photovoltaic power station in China's Kubuqi Desert on December 30, 2024. NASA said that the Kubuqi Desert was once known as the "Sea of Death" because it was full of sand and had almost no life. However, in recent years, the rapid increase in photovoltaic panels has transformed it into a "Sea of Potential" for photovoltaic power generation.
The Kubuqi Desert is an epitome of the development of China's photovoltaic industry. Foreign media have noticed that China's photovoltaic industry is developing rapidly and has become an important force in boosting the global energy green transition.
China is Installing Photovoltaic Power Generation Equipment at an Alarming Speed and Scale
The Associated Press published an article saying that Shi Mei (transliteration) and her husband are engaged in corn and millet cultivation in Shandong Province, China. In 2021, they diversified their income through solar energy investment-they signed a contract to install about 40 solar panels on their rooftop to supply power to the grid. Now, the couple's photovoltaic panels receive corresponding remuneration for power generation. The report said that China is installing photovoltaic power generation equipment at an alarming speed and scale and has great potential to achieve the peak of carbon emissions in the power industry by 2025.
The website of the Russian News Agency (RIA Novosti) published an article saying that China is actively turning to renewable energy. In July 2024, by commissioning new wind and photovoltaic power generation equipment, China's installed capacity of solar and wind power generation reached 1.206 billion kilowatts, achieving the goal originally expected to be reached in 2030. The article quoted Alexei Grivach, vice - chairman of the Russian National Energy Security Foundation, as saying, "China is becoming the world leader in the production of solar and wind power generation equipment."
The scale of China's photovoltaic power generation is still expanding. Data released by the National Energy Administration show that in the first three quarters of 2024, the newly connected grid capacity of photovoltaic power in the country was 161 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 24.8%. By the end of September 2024, the installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation in the country reached 770 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 48.4%. In the first three quarters of 2024, the photovoltaic power generation in the country was 635.9 billion kilowatt - hours, a year-on-year increase of 45.5%.
South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo reported that China plans to build a "blue sand - prevention zone" about 400 kilometers long and an average of about 5 kilometers wide with photovoltaic panels by 2030 on the south bank of the Yellow River and the northern edge of the Kubuqi Desert.
Foreign media have noticed that China's photovoltaic industry is actively laying out the international market and contributing to the global energy transition and green development.
According to a recent report on the website of Voice of America, China's photovoltaic industry is booming in Pakistan. As Pakistani consumers show great interest in installing solar systems in residential and commercial properties, Chinese solar panels and their key components are flooding into Pakistan, which has become the sixth - largest solar market in the world. The report said that since 2021, China has exported photovoltaic products worth about $4.1 billion to Pakistan, providing solar power generation capacity for the residential, industrial, commercial, and government sectors, showing the degree of preference of the Pakistani people for solar energy.
Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that Chinese enterprises have extensive investments in the green field in Latin America. On the one hand, the infrastructure investments of large Chinese enterprises such as the State Grid Corporation of China and China Three Gorges Corporation in the fields of hydropower, solar energy, and wind energy are quietly promoting the regional energy transition. On the other hand, the popularization of consumer goods such as electric vehicles and photovoltaic panels in overseas markets has also increased the visibility of Chinese green technology locally. For example, since 2021, LONGi, a Chinese solar technology company, has cooperated with a non-profit organization in Brazil to provide photovoltaic technology for the slums in Rio de Janeiro, reducing the power supply cost with the help of solar energy.
The Dividends Brought by Chinese Enterprises' Accelerated Technological Innovation and Cost Reduction
Addressing climate change is one of the important reasons for China to vigorously develop the photovoltaic industry. South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo published an article saying that building large-scale photovoltaic power generation bases in the desert is an important part of the Chinese government's renewable energy expansion policy. The Chinese government's construction of a "photovoltaic Great Wall" in the desert is also to address desertification. Photovoltaic panels can not only generate electricity but also prevent the movement of sand dunes and slow down the wind speed, thus curbing desertification.
With policy support, Chinese enterprises have continuously increased their investment in the photovoltaic industry, promoting the rapid development of China's photovoltaic industry.
The article of RIA Novosti said that in order to serve the intermittent photovoltaic and wind power generation, more powerful transmission lines and energy storage facilities must be built. In order to improve the reliability of the power grid, the State Grid Corporation of China will complete 600 billion yuan of grid investment in 2024, an increase of about 13% year-on-year. The China Electricity Council said that it is expected that the cumulative installed capacity of grid-connected wind and solar power generation in 2024 will account for more than 40%. The installed capacity of these power generation facilities now exceeds that of coal-fired power plants.
The website of the New York Times in the United States reported and analyzed that behind the leapfrog development of China's photovoltaic industry are the dividends brought by Chinese enterprises' accelerated technological innovation and cost reduction. At present, more and more Chinese companies produce and manufacture the main raw materials and components of photovoltaics in China and then transport them to overseas factories for assembly. In the future, China will also strengthen the construction of large-scale wind and photovoltaic bases and outbound transmission channels.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, released the report Renewable Energy Capacity Statistics 2024, pointing out that in the past 10 years, the average cost per kilowatt-hour of global wind and photovoltaic power generation projects has decreased by more than 60% and 80% respectively, and a large part of this is due to Chinese innovation, Chinese manufacturing, and Chinese engineering.
The Global Green Energy Transition Cannot Do Without China's Photovoltaic Industry
The Norwegian Classification Society released the report China's Energy Transition Outlook 2024, saying that thanks to strong policy support and the reduction in the cost of photovoltaic power generation, by 2050, China's photovoltaic power generation will reach 5.5 terawatts, accounting for 38% of the total power generation.
Germany's Rheinische Post pointed out that the photovoltaic industry, with its huge benefits and cost advantages, has become the flagship of the Chinese economy. Bloomberg also said that China is by far the largest photovoltaic market and dominates the global photovoltaic supply chain.
According to a report on the website of Bloomberg, the Namibia Power Corporation signed an agreement with Chinese enterprises to build the largest photovoltaic power station in the country. The Namibia Power Corporation said in a statement on September 9, 2024, that Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co., Ltd. of China and Chint New Energy Development (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. will jointly build the 100-megawatt Rosh Pinah Solar Photovoltaic Power Station. It is expected that this project will help Namibia achieve self-sufficiency in power supply.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report saying that China's wind and photovoltaic products have been exported to more than 200 countries and regions around the world, helping developing countries obtain clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA, pointed out that China's provision of relevant services and support to other countries has significantly improved the accessibility of clean energy technologies and reduced the cost of using green technologies globally.
France's Les Echos published an article saying that China's green policies have promoted some progress in the world's efforts to address climate change. As Chinese manufacturers expand their production capacity and take advantage of economies of scale, the cost of renewable energy has continued to decline in the past 10 years, with the cost of solar power generation dropping by 80%, offshore wind power by 73%, and onshore wind power by 57%. It is these progresses that support the growing optimism in the global fight against climate change.
