China's installed capacity of photovoltaic (PV) power generation has achieved a historic breakthrough. Data recently released by the National Energy Administration shows that in the first five months of this year, the cumulative newly connected PV capacity reached nearly 200 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 57%. Driven by this, China's total installed PV capacity has exceeded 1 billion kilowatts, reaching 108 million kilowatts, accounting for 30% of the country's total installed power generation capacity. Nearly half of the world's total installed PV capacity comes from China.

Since the beginning of this year, China's PV installed capacity has maintained a momentum of rapid growth, with new projects put into operation continuously. In Shibaqing Town, Shangdu County, Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, over 3 million PV panels shine brightly under the sun, continuously outputting green electricity. In April this year, the 1.5 million-kilowatt PV and grass industry project in Shangdu County—Inner Mongolia's largest PV and grass industry project, contracted by PowerChina Beijing Engineering Corporation Limited—was fully connected to the grid. This project forms a three-dimensional model of "power generation on panels and grass maintenance under panels," injecting new impetus into adjusting the energy structure and improving the ecological environment in Inner Mongolia.

In the same month, off the coast of Dongshan County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, the last set of PV power generation units completed commissioning and started generating electricity, marking the full-grid connection of China's first offshore PV project built in high-wind-speed waters—the Three Gorges Dongshan Xingchen 180-megawatt offshore PV power station. The project's explorations in technological innovation, ecological integration, and industrial collaboration have provided important practical support for "promoting the base-based and large-scale development of offshore PV."

With both onshore and offshore development advancing, China's PV installed capacity has grown rapidly since the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Data shows that before the proposal of the "dual carbon" goals in 2020, China's cumulative installed PV capacity barely exceeded 200 million kilowatts. By 2023, it surpassed 600 million kilowatts, and in just over a year, it exceeded 100 million kilowatts again.

The rapid growth of installed capacity has also spawned an internationally leading complete PV industry chain. Statistics show that the number of enterprises in China's PV industry chain exceeds 1 million, with an annual output value exceeding one trillion yuan. From the independent and controllable production of high-purity crystalline silicon (a key material), to continuous breakthroughs in large-size silicon wafers and high-efficiency cell technologies, repeated improvements in module efficiency, and the integrated application of intelligent inverters and energy storage systems, China leads the world in technological levels across all links of the PV industry chain.

Gui Xiaoyang, Deputy Director of the New Energy and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, stated that the 突破 of 100 million kilowatts in PV installed capacity reflects the continuous optimization of China's energy structure and the accelerated planning and construction of a new energy system. At the same time, the large-scale integration of PV power is profoundly changing China's energy production and consumption patterns.

Notably, the newly added PV installed capacity in May alone was equivalent to one-third of the total installed capacity for the entire last year, setting a new monthly record. Industry insiders believe that according to the Notice on Deepening the Market-Oriented Reform of New Energy On-Grid Tariffs to Promote High-Quality Development of New Energy, starting from June 1 this year, newly commissioned new energy power generation projects will, in principle, all enter the market for transactions, with electricity prices determined by the market. Due to increased uncertainties in future electricity prices and returns, many enterprises rushed to install PV systems before the new policy took effect, significantly boosting PV installed capacity in May.

For new energy, it is not enough to generate electricity; it must also be transmitted efficiently. Since the beginning of this year, China has continued to accelerate the construction of power transmission projects to enhance the absorption capacity of clean energy. In May, the State Grid Corporation's Longdong-Shandong ±800 kV UHV DC project was completed and put into operation, marking the completion of China's first external power transmission project for a large-scale integrated energy base combining wind, PV, thermal power, and energy storage. The project will transmit over 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, including wind, PV, thermal power, and stored energy, meeting the annual needs of over 10 million households.

In June this year, the Hami-Chongqing ±800 kV UHV DC transmission project was put into operation, becoming China's first commissioned UHV DC transmission project for external power transmission from a desert, Gobi, and desertified area new energy base. The project is supported by 10.2 million kilowatts of installed capacity, including wind, PV, and solar thermal power, with new energy accounting for over 70%.

The accelerated construction of UHV projects has enhanced the transmission capacity of new energy. To date, the new energy capacity connected to China's operational UHV projects has exceeded 130 million kilowatts.

Song Shengli, Deputy Director of the UHV Business Department of the State Grid Corporation, stated that currently, China is actively promoting the construction of a number of large-scale wind and PV bases in desert, Gobi, and desertified areas, along with their supporting external UHV projects, which will promote the optimal allocation of energy resources across regions.