China's Coal-rich Shanxi Aims to Have One-third Electricity Powered by New, Clean Energy

Aerial photo taken on May 23, 2019 shows a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Tujing Village of Duzhuang Township, Datong, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

China's Shanxi Province, the country's major coal-producing region, strives to see the installed capacity of new and clean energy reach half of its total and have one-third of its electricity generated by new and clean energy by 2025, local authorities said on Thursday.

The goal was announced by Lin Wu, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shanxi Provincial Committee during a provincial Party congress.

Over the past five years, Shanxi had accelerated the development of clean and new energy such as photovoltaic and wind power and pushed forward the eco-friendly transition of its energy supply structure. During the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020), its annual average growth rate of installed wind and photovoltaic power reached about 24 percent and 63 percent respectively.

By the end of 2020, the installed capacity of new and renewable energy power generation reached 35.7 million kW, accounting for 34.38 percent of the province's total.