Clean energy overtakes coal for first time in China's Zhejiang

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 17, 2023 shows the construction site of a photovoltaic project in Taizhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. As of the end of July, the installed capacity of clean energy in Zhejiang reached 57.51 million kilowatts, surpassing that of coal power units for the first time, according to the latest data from State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. (Photo by Duan Junli/Xinhua)

HANGZHOU, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- As of the end of July, the installed capacity of clean energy in east China's Zhejiang Province reached 57.51 million kilowatts, surpassing that of coal power units for the first time, according to the latest data from State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd.

Of the total installed power capacity of Zhejiang, clean energy accounted for 46 percent, coal 40.1 percent, natural gas power 10.7 percent, and the remaining 3.2 percent held by other sources, according to the company.

In recent years, the province has promoted the adoption of clean energy by expanding the use of wind power, solar energy and nuclear energy, among other initiatives, thereby reducing the reliance on coal.

The rise in the share of installed capacity of clean energy has brought new opportunities to emerging industries such as photovoltaics, power batteries and new-energy vehicles (NEVs).

Previous data showed that nearly 1 million charging poles had been installed across the province. It plans to build more than 2.3 million charging poles by 2025 to meet the charging demand of over 4 million NEVs. ■

A tourist charges his electric vehicle at a parking lot in Yucun Village of Anji County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 11, 2023. As of the end of July, the installed capacity of clean energy in Zhejiang reached 57.51 million kilowatts, surpassing that of coal power units for the first time, according to the latest data from State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)