MANY MINDEDChina sets 2030 renewables plan at 3,500 GW total capacity
China published its 15th five-year plan for renewable energy in late July 2026, covering 2026 through 2030, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration. It targets 3,500 GW of total renewables capacity by 2030, of which 2,800 GW is wind and solar. The country's previous 1,200 GW wind-and-solar target was met six years early.
The scale is enormous. As of June 2026 China had installed just under 2,000 GW of wind and solar plus 454 GW of hydropower. Hitting the new targets requires roughly 160 GW of wind and solar and just under 220 GW of total renewables each year. Hydropower is set to climb to 570 GW by 2030, including 160 GW of pumped storage, and renewable generation is targeted at 6,000 TWh, with 4,000 TWh from wind and solar.
Because China is the single largest bloc of global clean-energy buildout, this plan effectively paces the world's transition. More installed clean capacity means cheaper electricity over time and a larger manufacturing base that lowers hardware costs everywhere.
The caveats matter. Global Energy Monitor reports coal still generates 42% of power from large-scale energy bases, and a Tsinghua University study argued higher targets are needed to meet climate commitments. The plan sets a floor for deployment, not a guarantee that fossil generation falls in step.
Source: Carbon Brief