China's installed photovoltaic power capacity surpassed coal-fired power capacity for the first time, making solar the country's largest power source by installed capacity, the National Energy Administration said on Tuesday.

Installed solar power capacity reached 1.286 billion kilowatts at the end of July, edging past coal-fired power capacity of 1.285 billion kilowatts.

"This marks a milestone in China's green and low-carbon energy transition," said Liu Zhiqiang, an expert from the China Electricity Council, adding that the country's new power system, with new energy as the mainstay, is taking shape at an accelerated pace.

By the end of July, solar power accounted for more than 30 percent of China's total installed power generation capacity.

Measured by newly added capacity, the share rose to more than 40 percent in the first seven months, underscoring the rapid expansion of the sector.

China has built a complete photo voltaic industry chain covering research and development, design and integrated manufacturing.

Technological advances, including repeated breakthroughs in photovoltaic conversion efficiency, have helped drive continuous upgrades and rapid cost reductions.

China's rapid development of photovoltaic power and other forms of new energy is also making a positive contribution globally.

With the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, the country supplies more than 80 percent of the photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of the wind power equipment around the world, assisting the green transition in many countries.

In particular, amid uncertainties in global supplies of energy and key raw materials, China's growing new energy capacity helped it meet domestic energy demand while contributing to the stability of global energy markets and supply chains, experts said. (Xinhua)



Edited by Edmond Fong