China Sets Ambitious Goal for Renewable Power Generation Capacity in 2025 

According to the official website of the National Energy Administration (NEA), to thoroughly implement the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, and to uphold the new energy security strategy with higher standards, the NEA has formulated the "Guiding Opinions on Energy Work in 2025" (hereinafter referred to as the "Guiding Opinions"). The aim is to solidly advance energy work in 2025, support China's sustained economic rebound and improvement through high-quality energy development and high-level security. The "Guiding Opinions" are interpreted from four aspects as follows:

I. Background of Issuance

Formulating annual work guiding opinions is a task explicitly stipulated in the "Energy Planning Management Measures." It is also an important initiative to unify thinking and form synergy in the energy sector, promoting high-quality energy development. In 2024, the energy sector thoroughly implemented the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee and the State Council, adhering to the "Four Revolutions, One Cooperation" energy security strategy as the fundamental guideline. Efforts were made to coordinate high-quality energy development and high-level security. Energy security capabilities were further enhanced, with raw coal production from industrial enterprises above designated size reaching a record high, crude oil production maintaining stability above 200 mt for three consecutive years, and natural gas production from industrial enterprises above designated size increasing by over 10 billion m³ annually for eight consecutive years. The energy consumption structure continued to optimize, and the level of green and low-carbon development further improved.

Currently, China's energy development faces some risks and challenges. The international situation remains complex and severe, the external purchase rate of oil and gas remains high, the rapid growth of new energy poses higher requirements for system integration, breakthroughs in key energy technologies and equipment need to be strengthened, and energy system and mechanism reforms require deeper advancement. The "Guiding Opinions" propose targeted policy measures to guide localities and relevant units in accelerating the planning and construction of a new-type energy system, jointly completing the final phase of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and supporting China's sustained economic rebound and improvement through high-quality energy development and high-level security, meeting the growing energy needs of the people for a better life.

II. Main Considerations

The "Guiding Opinions" adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee. It upholds the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, practicing the new energy security strategy with higher standards. It emphasizes bottom-line thinking, continuously enhancing energy security capabilities, fully leveraging the foundational role of fossil energy, and ensuring the safe, reliable, and orderly substitution of non-fossil energy to safeguard the energy security bottom line. It insists on green and low-carbon development, continuously advancing energy structure adjustment and optimization, coordinating efforts to reduce carbon emissions, pollution, and increase green growth, and raising the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption. It prioritizes deepening reforms, continuously stimulating vitality and momentum in energy development, placing energy system and mechanism reforms in a more prominent position, and better transforming institutional advantages into inexhaustible driving forces for energy development. It also emphasizes innovation-driven development, continuously fostering new energy technologies, industries, and models, accelerating breakthroughs in key energy technologies and equipment, developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions, and advancing the construction of a modern energy industry system.

III. Work Objectives

The "Guiding Opinions" outline the main objectives for energy work in 2025:

In terms of supply assurance capacity, the total national energy production will steadily increase. Coal production will remain stable and increase, crude oil production will stay above 200 million mt, and natural gas production will maintain rapid growth. The scale of oil and gas reserves will continue to expand. The total installed power generation capacity nationwide will exceed 3.6 billion kW, with over 200 GW of renewable energy power generation capacity to be added. Power generation will reach approximately 10.6 trillion kWh, and cross-provincial and cross-regional power transmission capacity will continue to improve.

In terms of green and low-carbon transition, the proportion of non-fossil energy in power generation capacity will rise to about 60%, and its share in total energy consumption will increase to about 20%. Renewable energy substitution in key sectors such as industry, transportation, and construction will make new progress. Policies and measures for new energy integration and regulation will be further improved, and mechanisms for green and low-carbon development will be further strengthened.

In terms of development quality and efficiency, the average coal consumption for power supply by thermal power units will remain at a reasonable level. The utilization rates of wind and PV power generation will remain reasonable, and the comprehensive benefits of PV desertification control will become more significant. Large coal mines will basically achieve intelligent operations. A unified national electricity market system will be initially established, further optimizing resource allocation.

IV. Key Tasks

The "Guiding Opinions" propose 21 key annual tasks:

1. Significantly enhancing energy security capabilities from three aspects: strengthening the foundation of energy security, improving regional energy coordination capabilities, and reinforcing major risk management in energy security.

2. Actively and steadily advancing the green and low-carbon energy transition from three aspects: maintaining the good development momentum of non-fossil energy, coordinating the construction of a new-type power system, and continuously deepening the transformation of energy development and utilization methods.

3. Deepening energy reform and legal construction from three aspects: continuously improving the energy system and mechanism, advancing the construction of a unified national electricity market, and improving the energy legal system.

4. Accelerating energy technology self-reliance and self-strengthening from three aspects: continuously improving the energy technology innovation system, strengthening breakthroughs in key energy technologies, and fostering and expanding new energy industries and business models.

5. Enhancing people's satisfaction with energy services from two aspects: improving energy service guarantees for people's livelihoods and promoting high-quality energy development in counties.

6. Improving energy regulatory efficiency from two aspects: maintaining fair and just market order and continuously strengthening power safety supervision.

7. Consolidating and deepening international energy cooperation from three aspects: enhancing overseas resource supply assurance capabilities, coordinating energy cooperation with key countries and regions, and actively participating in global energy governance.

8. Coordinating energy planning and implementation from two aspects: intensifying efforts to achieve the 14th Five-Year Plan energy targets and scientifically planning the 15th Five-Year Plan for energy.

Source: CLS

Translated by SMM