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China reaches solar energy milestone — what does this mean for the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter?

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China reaches solar energy milestone — what does this mean for the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter?

September 8, 2026 thedigitalsolutioncentre@gmail.com

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China’s solar power capacity has overtaken coal for the first time, marking a major milestone in the country’s rapid expansion of renewable energy.

China had about 1,288 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity at the end of July, compared with 1,285 GW of coal-fired capacity, according to figures from the country’s energy administration reported by the South China Morning Post.

The milestone could have major implications for global efforts to tackle climate change: China is the world’s largest annual greenhouse gas emitter, accounting for around 30% of global planet-warming emissions. If its rapid expansion of renewable energy begins to displace coal-fired power ‪—‬ one of the country’s primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions ‪—‬ the impact could extend well beyond Chinese borders.

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“I would see this as a structural turning point, not the point at which solar has replaced coal,” Davies said. “The key question is whether renewable generation can grow fast enough not only to meet rising electricity demand but to push coal generation down in absolute terms. Given the scale of China’s power system, sustained reductions in coal use could have a major impact on global CO₂ emissions.”

This transition toward solar panels will also make renewable energy more accessible around the world, as China’s enormous manufacturing capacity will help drive down the global cost of solar panels. However, Davies said the next phase of the transition is to ensure the whole solar production process is sustainable. “We need to think about where technologies are made, where materials come from, how long they last, and how they are reused or recycled,” he said.

“The global energy transition is not only about replacing fossil fuels in existing electricity systems; it is also about enabling people who still lack reliable electricity to gain access to clean, affordable power,” Davies said. “Ultimately, success is not simply about installing more solar panels. It is about building a clean-energy system that is affordable, sustainable, resilient and accessible globally.”

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