China's construction of renewable energy bases in desert, Gobi, and arid regions—critical to the nation's green energy transition under the 14th Five-Year Plan—is progressing rapidly.
From XINHUA
China's construction of renewable energy bases in desert, Gobi, and arid regions—critical to the nation's green energy transition under the 14th Five-Year Plan—is progressing rapidly. The first batch of projects is nearing completion, with the second and third batches accelerating construction. By 2025, these large-scale renewable energy bases are expected to significantly increase capacity, with approximately 200 GW of new wind and solar power installations projected for 2024 alone.
Recently, several major projects have been completed and put into operation. These include the 4 GW Zhonglu Green Power photovoltaic project in Ruoqiang, the 1 GW Phase II photovoltaic project at China Huadian'sTengger Desert base in Inner Mongolia, and the China National Investment Corporation’s Akesai integrated solar-thermal and photovoltaic project. The first batch of renewable energy base projects, totaling around 100 GW, is now largely operational and is expected to be fully connected to the grid by the end of 2024. Portions of the second batch have already come online, while construction of the third batch is gaining momentum.
At the recent 2025 National Energy Work Conference, the government emphasized the importance of accelerating wind and solar energy development. Priority will be given to advancing the second and third batches of renewable energy bases in desert, Gobi, and arid regions. By 2025, approximately 200 GW of new wind and solar capacity will be installed, and renewable energy consumption is forecast to exceed the equivalent of 1.1 billion tons of standard coal.