Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-07-09 Origin: Site
China’s renewable energy sector is entering a new phase of accelerated growth as 2026 marks the first year of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030). Driven by national energy targets, provinces are rapidly expanding wind and solar development plans, laying the foundation for a new wave of renewable energy deployment.
According to the National Energy Administration’s development roadmap, China aims to add at least 1 billion kW of new wind and solar capacity during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, representing an average annual increase of approximately 200 GW. By 2030, wind and solar power are expected to account for more than 50% of China’s total installed power capacity, becoming the backbone of the national energy system.
Since the beginning of 2026, a total of 15 provinces and regions, including Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Liaoning, Guizhou, Guangxi and Hebei, have announced renewable energy development targets totaling 100.69 GW.
The figure represents a 9.6% increase compared with the 91.9 GW announced during the same period in 2025, highlighting strong momentum at the beginning of the new planning cycle.
Among all provinces, Inner Mongolia leads with 25 GW of allocated renewable energy projects, supported by large-scale initiatives such as photovoltaic desertification control projects, competitive wind power allocations and distributed renewable energy programs. The region has also set an ambitious goal of adding 30 GW of new renewable energy capacity in 2026, pushing total installed capacity beyond 200 GW.
Yunnan ranks second with approximately 20.94 GW of approved projects, including 11.11 GW of centralized solar projects and 9.83 GW of wind power projects. Solar development will focus on resource-rich areas such as Chuxiong, Dali, Lijiang and Lincang, while wind projects will mainly target regions with strong wind resources, including Qujing, Yuxi, Honghe and Wenshan.
Other major contributors include Shanxi with nearly 13 GW, Shaanxi with around 10 GW, followed by Hubei (6.13 GW), Liaoning (5.54 GW), Guizhou (4.76 GW), Guangxi (3.7 GW) and Hebei (3.11 GW).
A notable shift in China’s renewable energy strategy is the increasing emphasis on wind power.
Among the more than 100 GW of announced projects, wind power accounts for 51.32 GW, exceeding both solar projects (32.51 GW) and integrated wind-solar projects (16.85 GW). Wind energy has become the primary driver of renewable capacity expansion in 2026.
The change reflects evolving market conditions as China’s renewable energy sector moves toward full participation in electricity markets. Compared with solar power, wind generation generally has a better match with electricity demand patterns and currently enjoys relatively stronger electricity price competitiveness in several regions.
For example, in 2026, the benchmark mechanism prices for wind power are set at RMB 0.33/kWh in Liaoning and RMB 0.355/kWh in Guangxi, compared with RMB 0.30/kWh and RMB 0.31/kWh for solar power, respectively.
As market-based electricity trading expands nationwide, these pricing advantages are increasingly influencing project economics and encouraging provinces to prioritize wind development alongside solar deployment.
Several regions, including Hubei, Shanxi, Guizhou, Hebei and Liaoning, have already allocated significantly more capacity to wind power than solar. In Hubei’s second batch of 2026 renewable energy projects, wind capacity reached 4.07 GW, approximately five times the solar allocation.
Meanwhile, the nationwide “Thousands of Villages Wind Power Action” initiative is accelerating. Provinces such as Shaanxi, Henan, Gansu and Liaoning have begun releasing initial project lists, providing additional growth opportunities for distributed wind power development.
Among approximately 83 GW of projects with disclosed ownership information, more than 100 companies have secured renewable energy development rights, reflecting strong competition in the market.
China’s major state-owned energy groups remain the leading investors. The “Five Major Power Groups and Six Smaller Energy Giants,” together with major engineering companies, secured approximately 38.17 GW, accounting for nearly half of the disclosed projects.
Leading developers include:
China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN): approximately 6.99 GW
Huaneng Group: approximately 6.1 GW
Datang Group: approximately 6 GW
State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC): approximately 4.25 GW
China Resources Power: approximately 4.2 GW
China Huadian Corporation: approximately 3.93 GW
At the same time, regional energy companies and state-owned platforms are increasing their presence. Companies such as Guizhou Energy Group, Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum, Anhui Energy Group, Inner Mongolia Energy Group and Yunnan Energy Investment Group have secured significant shares of projects within their respective regions.
This trend reflects a more diversified renewable energy investment landscape, where both national energy giants and local state-owned enterprises are becoming key players in China’s clean energy expansion.
With China targeting an average annual addition of 200 GW of wind and solar capacity during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, further increases in renewable energy project approvals are expected throughout 2026.
Several provinces, including Shanghai, Shaanxi and Hebei, have already launched additional renewable energy project applications, with Hebei planning up to 23.76 GW of wind and solar projects.
Industry analysts expect China’s annual renewable energy allocation volume in 2026 to surpass the 190 GW level recorded in 2025, maintaining a high-growth trajectory and reinforcing China’s position as the world’s largest renewable energy market.
The first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan signals a new era of large-scale renewable deployment, with wind and solar power becoming increasingly central to China’s future energy structure.
