中国太阳能发电装置容量首次超越燃煤发电

中国太阳能发电的装置容量在2024年7月底首次超越燃煤发电，成为该国第一大装置电源。1根据数据，太阳能发电总装置容量达12.86亿千瓦，略高于燃煤发电的12.85亿千瓦。1这一转变打破了燃煤发电长期占据首位的局面，标志着新能源在中国电源结构中的地位显著提升。

尽管装置容量已被超越，燃煤发电仍然是中国最大的电力供应来源。1至7月燃煤发电占总发电量的49.7%，而风力和太阳能发电的总和占比为41.2%。1同期太阳能发电量达8024亿千瓦时，较去年同期提升15.5%。1太阳能发电对全社会用电量的贡献也在上升，上半年占比达13%，较去年全年提高1.7个百分点。1

China's installed solar power capacity reached 1.286 billion kilowatts by the end of July 2024, marking the first time it has exceeded coal-fired generation's 1.285 billion kilowatts and becoming the nation's largest installed power source 1. This milestone represents a historic shift in China's energy infrastructure, ending coal's long reign as the leading installed capacity.

However, coal-fired power remains the dominant source of actual electricity supply, accounting for 49.7 percent of total power generation, compared to the combined 41.2 percent share of wind and solar energy 1. During the first seven months of 2024, solar power generation reached 802.4 billion kilowatt-hours, representing a 15.5 percent increase year-over-year 1. Solar energy now accounts for 13 percent of society-wide electricity consumption, up 1.7 percentage points from the previous full year 1.

The rapid expansion of solar capacity reflects both substantial production capabilities and underlying industry challenges. China's annual solar production capacity stands at approximately 1,400 gigawatts, while global annual new demand reaches about 700 gigawatts 1. In the first half of 2024, the solar industry faced headwinds, with 5,089 solar-related companies deregistering, marking an 8.3 percent year-over-year increase in business closures 1.