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China continues to lead the world in large-scale wind and solar energy development, but a significant portion of electricity transmitted from its renewable energy megabases still depends on coal-fired power, according to a new report by Global Energy Monitor. While renewable capacity is expanding rapidly, limited transmission infrastructure and the continued use of coal for grid stability remain major challenges. The report also highlights the need for more energy storage systems to improve renewable integration and reduce dependence on coal in the country's long-distance power transmission network.
China is expanding its renewable energy capacity at a faster pace than any other country, with more large-scale wind and solar projects under development than the rest of the world combined. However, a report released earlier this week by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) stated that limited transmission infrastructure and continued dependence on coal-fired power are reducing the full potential of these renewable energy projects.
The report found that wind and solar energy currently account for around 20% of the electricity transmitted through China's ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission network, a share that has remained almost unchanged since 2021. In comparison, coal-fired power contributes about 42% of the electricity transmitted through the same network.
China's renewable energy megabase programme focuses on generating electricity from large wind and solar projects located in the country's sparsely populated northern and northwestern regions. The electricity is then transported through UHVDC transmission lines to major industrial centres and densely populated cities in eastern China, where demand is significantly higher.
According to the report, around 315 gigawatts (GW) of renewable megabase capacity will require outbound transmission infrastructure by 2030. Meeting this requirement would need approximately 27 UHVDC transmission lines. Under China's latest Five-Year Plan covering 2026 to 2030, the country has set a target to develop 10 such transmission lines during the period.
The report also noted that the 11 proposed UHVDC transmission projects dedicated to renewable megabases combine 129 GW of wind and solar capacity with 40 GW of coal-fired generation. Based on the planned configuration, the electricity transmitted through these projects is expected to be divided almost equally between renewable energy and coal-generated power.
Global Energy Monitor's Senior East Asia Strategist, Aiqun Yu, stated in the report that such a high share of coal-fired electricity does not align with the government's position that coal should only play a supporting role in China's future power system. Yu suggested that renewable energy bases should increasingly rely on energy storage technologies to balance intermittent wind and solar generation instead of depending on coal-fired plants.
The report highlighted one project as a relatively positive example. A proposed UHVDC transmission line connecting the Kubuqi region in Inner Mongolia with Shanghai is expected to transmit more than 60% renewable electricity. The project also includes 9,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy storage and 2.64 GW of coal-fired capacity, compared with around 4 GW of coal in several similar projects. According to Yu, this reflects gradual progress towards reducing coal dependence while maintaining grid reliability.
China has been investing heavily in renewable energy over the past several years as part of its efforts to strengthen energy security, lower carbon emissions and meet its long-term climate goals. At the same time, the country has continued approving new coal-fired power projects to ensure a stable electricity supply while renewable capacity expands.
The GEM report further found that, as of June 2026, China had 664 GW of solar capacity either planned or under construction, representing nearly one-third of all such projects globally. The country also accounted for 698 GW of proposed wind power capacity, equivalent to around one-quarter of the global total, reinforcing its position as the world's largest renewable energy developer.
Source Reuters
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