Electricity in People's Republic of China in 2023/2024

In the period between August 2023 and July 2024, electricity consumption in the People’s Republic of China showcased a substantial reliance on fossil fuels, as these sources accounted for more than half, specifically over 62% of the total electricity generation. Among fossil fuels, coal was dominant and made up almost 59% of electricity production, while gas contributed roughly 3%. Low-carbon energy sources, on the other hand, generated close to 38% of electricity, showing significant contributions from various sources. Hydropower led the way in low-carbon electricity with nearly 15% of the total, followed by wind energy comprising around 10%, and solar power making up roughly 7%. Nuclear energy contributed a bit over 4% to the overall mix, providing a stable and clean source of electricity. Interestingly, biofuels, while categorized as low-carbon, represented less than 2% of the total electricity generation, making its impact relatively minimal.

Suggestions

To increase the proportion of low-carbon electricity generation, China can focus on expanding its wind energy infrastructure, which already plays a major role in the country's clean electricity landscape. Wind energy has been successfully deployed in several countries, like Denmark, where it accounts for an impressive 59% of electricity generation. This serves as an inspiration for China to further harness its wind energy potential. Additionally, learning from France's achievement of generating 67% of its electricity from nuclear power, China might consider expanding its nuclear capacity. Nuclear energy has been pivotal in ensuring a reliable and steady electricity supply for countries such as Slovakia and Ukraine, which generate 60% and 55% of their electricity from nuclear plants, respectively. These examples demonstrate the potential for China to enhance its low-carbon electricity footprint by drawing from successful global examples in both nuclear and wind energy development.

History

Over the years, there have been numerous shifts in China's low-carbon electricity generation landscape. In the early 2000s, hydropower saw a significant rise in its contribution, with considerable increases observed in 2004 and 2008, at 70 and 100 TWh, respectively. The trend continued with hydropower peaking at a rise of 173 TWh in 2012. However, after 2014, hydro contributions began to diminish somewhat, highlighting the need for diversification. The wind energy sector started picking up pace in 2017, notably with an increase of 58 TWh, followed by further expansions in 2018 and 2020. The year 2021 marked a breakthrough with a substantial growth of 189 TWh, accompanied by solar's significant rise of 66 TWh, reinforcing their combined impact on the total electricity generation. Furthermore, between 2023 and 2024, hydro saw another notable surge of 154 TWh, emphasizing its importance alongside advancing wind and solar energy contributions of 64 and 69 TWh, respectively. These trends underscore China’s increasing commitment to integrating various low-carbon energy solutions into its electricity framework.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources