China to cap coal at 55 per cent of total power output by 2020

• 8 years ago (2016-11-08)
• David Flin

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China aims to cap coal-fired power capacity at 1100 GW by 2020, higher than the current ceiling, but accounting for less of the country’s total power supply. The National Energy Administration (NEA) announced its five-year plan for the power industry, in which it said China aimed to have 2000 GW by 2020, of which 320 GW would come from solar and wind power, and 110 GW from natural gas.

As part of its long-term plan to shift to clean power, the NEA said China will eliminate or delay at least 150 GW of coal-fired power projects between 2016 and 2020.

While the new ceiling for coal is up from 960 GW, it will bring coal’s share in China’s total power mix down from over 66 per cent to 55 per cent.

Huang Xuenong, Director of the Power Department of NEA, said: “It is not easy to cap coal capacity under 1100 GW. If we don’t take measures, I believe that capacity will go beyond 1250 GW.” Huang said that given an economic slowdown, rise in electricity consumption is expected to slow to about 3.6-4 per cent over 2016 to 2020, from an annualised 12 per cent in 2011, there will be excess capacity, mainly coal and hydro power.