As the world of renewable energy grows, China takes the lead with multiple developments, particularly in the accelerating rate of solar power and its production of sustainable energy.
China has single-handedly added 160 GW (gigawatts) of new solar power in the matter of just 9 months in the year 2024, hitting a total of 770 gigawatts in August 2024. That is about a 48% increase in energy year after year.
In September, China installed 20.9 gigawatts of solar power, increasing around 27% over each month.
To give some perspective here, a gigawatt is a unit of power of 1 billion watts. Only one gigawatt can power around 750,000 homes for a year. The higher the rate of the gigawatt, the more the energy production. Hence, the term is often referred to in accordance with large-scale energy production such as national power grids and renewable energy.
So, China adding about 160 GW gigawatts more in solar power is nothing short of HUGE in the green energy sector. This amount could potentially power approximately 100 million homes for a year and can further provide energy to bigger power plants as well. A globally unprecedented feat, China is currently leading the charge in renewable energy on a global scale.
On the other hand, wind power has accelerated in China as well. With a remarkable turnout, wind power in the country reached 480 gigawatts in new power capacity, guaranteeing a 20% increase every year.
So what makes this a milestone in renewable energy exactly? Since fossil fuels aren’t burned with energy sources like wind and solar power, there is less emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide.
China, with its innovations and inventions, is reducing its carbon footprint by a significant amount, making an impact of such emissions worldwide. By attaining 770 gigawatts of solar energy alone, China has so far surpassed all other countries in the world in the energy sector.
Showing a thorough commitment to renewable energy, there is no doubt that China is leading the charge in the sustainability realms of energy, moving away from coal and other previous energy sources. Since solar and wind power are growing so much in China, reaching climate goals in the future is highly probable.
If China’s expansion of renewable energy continues on this level, it could reshape the entire energy system within the next 10 years. And since one country is doing so much to provide more sustainable energy, why wouldn’t other nations do the same? This would only help global efforts in climate change.
