China Adds 198 GW Solar Jan-May 2025, 445 GW Renewables in 2024, Launches First Floating Photovoltaic Project

China has set new records in renewable energy capacity additions in 2025, significantly outpacing other countries. Between January and May, China installed 198 gigawatts (GW) of solar power and 46 GW of wind power, generating as much electricity as entire nations such as Indonesia or Turkey. In May alone, China installed 93 GW of solar panels, which is nearly double the total solar capacity installed by the United States in 2024. The total installed solar capacity in China has now surpassed 1,000 GW.

In 2024, China added 445 GW of renewable power, accounting for 60% of all new global renewable capacity, nearly double the combined additions of the rest of the world. China’s wind energy generation reached 997 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024, producing more than twice the electricity from wind compared to the United States. The rapid expansion includes the installation of about one wind turbine every 10 minutes and the commissioning of its first floating photovoltaic project in Qingdao, expected to generate 16.7 million kWh annually. This surge in renewable energy capacity is also driven by increasing electricity demand from AI data centers. China’s aggressive renewable energy growth is positioning the country as the global leader in clean energy technology.