Chart of the Day: Northern Provinces Lead China’s Wind, Solar Generation 

In 2024, wind and solar energy accounted for over a quarter of electricity generation in seven Chinese provincial-level regions, signaling a plateau in the growth of fossil fuel use for power generation, according to a report from the energy think tank Ember published in September 2025 [para. 1]. The leading regions for wind and solar adoption were Qinghai (46%), Gansu (36%), and Jilin (33%), as reported in the China Energy Transition Review 2025. Other regions with notable shares included Hebei, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia, each ranging between 25% and 32%, with the national average standing at 18% [para. 2][para. 3].

Qinghai, Gansu, and Jilin’s high adoption rates are attributed to their rich wind and solar resources, but experts note that a 25% benchmark for renewable energy penetration isn’t particularly high given the rapid expansion of China’s renewables sector [para. 4]. Understanding the regional energy mix is crucial for evaluating China’s broader energy transition, as resource availability and electricity consumption differ greatly between provinces [para. 5]. China’s demand is primarily concentrated in densely populated, industrialized southern and eastern coastal areas, while most renewable energy resources are found in the less-populous northern and western regions [para. 6].

The shift towards renewables is fundamentally transforming China’s overall energy landscape, with fossil fuel use in electricity generation stabilizing as wind and solar output grows rapidly [para. 7]. Analysts describe this as a key milestone in China’s climate change mitigation efforts [para. 8].

The provinces leading in wind and solar adoption mostly have abundant sunshine and wind yet face lower local energy demand due to smaller populations and less industry, making them significant power exporters to the more industrialized eastern and southern provinces [para. 9][para. 12]. Qinghai, with its plentiful sunshine and open land, and Gansu, located partly in the Gobi Desert, were among the first regions selected for large-scale renewable energy base construction in 2021 [para. 10][para. 11]. Meanwhile, Jilin leverages strong year-round winds but relies more heavily on wind power due to scarce coal reserves despite having a more significant population and industrial sector [para. 13][para. 14].

Despite wind and solar making up 42% of installed power capacity by the end of 2024, the share of actual power generation was only 18% [para. 15]. The growth rate in renewable generation has lagged behind capacity growth [para. 16]. Coastal provinces, including Beijing, Chongqing, and Shanghai, have the lowest shares of renewables, around 4-6%, primarily due to land constraints, while Guangdong reached 10% [para. 17][para. 18][para. 19]. Rooftop solar and offshore wind present viable alternatives in land-scarce cities [para. 20]. Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong, Anhui, and Zhejiang have led in rooftop solar installations, supported by strong local solar supply chains and industrial power demand [para. 21].

Challenges remain for integrating renewables, such as the need for more ultra-high-voltage transmission lines and improved power market mechanisms to facilitate the transfer of renewable electricity across regions [para. 22][para. 23][para. 24]. Ongoing government reforms aim to make interprovincial electricity trading more flexible, ensuring renewable energy generated in resource-rich regions can be delivered to where it is most needed [para. 25].