Solar rooftop photovoltaic power generation facilities are seen on a building in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, on June 23, 2026. Photo: VCG

China's installed photovoltaic power generating capacity surpassed that of coal power for the first time, becoming the country's largest power source by installed capacity, the National Energy Administration (NEA) announced on Tuesday. 

As of the end of July this year, the installed solar panels capacity reached 1.286 billion kilowatts, while coal power stood at 1.285 billion kilowatts, according to the administration.

In July, newly installed photovoltaic power capacity totaled 13.73 million kilowatts, up 43 percent year-on-year. Photovoltaic power generation amounted to 802.4 billion kilowatt-hours, representing an increase of 15.5 percent year-on-year — 10.8 percentage points higher than the growth rate of total social electricity consumption. 

Last month, photovoltaic power generation accounts for 13 percent of total social electricity consumption, 1.7 percentage points higher than the full-year level of last year, per the NEA.

In recent years, both installed solar panels and the power generation have maintained rapid growth, playing an increasingly prominent role in ensuring electricity supply and advancing the green energy transition, the NEA said.


Global Times