China's solar power capacity just beat coal for the first time

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Photovoltaic panels in a local village in Hukou County, Jiujiang City convert sunlight into clean electricity, Jiangxi Province, China, August 19, 2026. /VCG

China's installed solar capacity has overtaken coal-fired power for the first time, making it the country's largest power source, the National Energy Administration said on Tuesday.

By the end of July, installed photovoltaic (PV) power accounted for 31.5% of China's total power capacity – 1.286 billion kilowatts. In the first seven months of the year, solar generation topped 802.4 billion kilowatt-hours, up 15.5% from last year. That's one in every eight kilowatt-hours of electricity generated in China.

China already makes eight out of every ten photovoltaic modules worldwide, and its next-gen tech is moving fast.

Over the next five years, investment in the solar industry is expected to surpass 2 trillion yuan (about $297.6 billion). That means more green power, stronger energy security and a cleaner economic engine.

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