China Targets 50% Non-Fossil Power by 2030

China has set a 2030 target for 50% of its power generation to come from non-fossil sources under the 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a New Energy System. The plan was jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration in June 2026.

China’s Energy Mix Targets

China’s non-fossil share of power generation stood at 41% in 2025, and the new target raises it to 50% by 2030. The plan also sets a target for non-fossil sources to account for 25% of total energy consumption by 2030, compared with 14% in 2025.

Installed Capacity and Storage Goals

Wind and solar power are expected to exceed 50% of China’s total installed power generation capacity by 2030, up from about 47% at the end of 2025. The plan targets non-pumped hydro energy storage capacity of 300 GW and pumped-storage hydropower capacity of 160 GW by 2030, compared with 62 GW in 2025.

Hydrogen, Nuclear Power and Grid Flexibility

China has set a target of 2 million tonnes per year of renewable-energy-based hydrogen production by 2030. Nuclear capacity is targeted at 110 GW by 2030, up from 62 GW in 2025. The plan also projects adjustable vehicle-to-grid charging capacity of about 50 GW and around 40 million charging facilities by 2030.

Important Facts for Exams

• China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide and the largest producer of solar panels and batteries.
• Five-Year Plans are national planning documents used by China for economic and industrial targets.
• Virtual power plants aggregate distributed energy resources such as solar panels, batteries and flexible demand.
• Vehicle-to-grid systems allow electric vehicles to supply electricity back to the grid.

Coal, Oil and Investment Projections

The plan anticipates that coal and oil consumption will peak by 2030. Total investment linked to these targets is expected to exceed 20 trillion yuan, or about US$2.9 trillion.