The plan, a collaborative effort by key national agencies, outlines actions across nine sectors. It emphasizes enhancing the grid's capacity to transmit clean energy through cutting-edge power generation and control technologies.
With the surge in wind and solar power generation in China's arid regions, there's an increasing need to efficiently transport this clean energy to high-consumption areas. China targets a total installed capacity of 455 million kilowatts from desert-based wind and solar facilities by 2030, expanding beyond the current coal and hydropower-dominated transmission lines.
The strategy also includes upgrading coal-fired power plants to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Despite the push for renewables, coal power remains vital for China's stable electricity supply, necessitating a swift transition to lower-carbon operations.
China's booming electric vehicle (EV) market, which saw a 32-percent sales increase in the first half of 2024, has created substantial demand for charging infrastructure. The plan commits to expanding EV charging facilities, improving their integration with the power grid, and establishing comprehensive standards.
As of June, China had installed 10.24 million charging units, a 54-percent year-on-year increase. Efforts are underway to extend charging infrastructure to rural areas, with one-third of provincial regions already installing charging points in towns and villages.
The document also outlines measures to ensure the stable operation of China's electricity system and enhance the power distribution network.
China's electricity consumption, a key economic indicator, grew by 8.1 percent in the first half of the year, reaching nearly 4.66 trillion kilowatt-hours. To sustain its position as the world's second-largest economy, China requires a dependable electricity supply.
In line with its green development strategy, China has pledged to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, an ambitious timeline compared to developed nations.
