China's Solar Capacity Surpasses 1,000 GW Amid Record May Installations

Beijing, China – China has achieved a significant milestone in its renewable energy expansion, with its cumulative installed solar power capacity exceeding 1,000 gigawatts (GW) by the end of May 2025. This achievement follows a record-breaking month of new installations, as the nation added approximately 93 GW of solar and 26 GW of wind power in May alone.

The unprecedented surge in renewable energy deployment saw engineers installing roughly 100 solar panels every second during May. This monthly addition surpasses the total solar capacity of many individual countries, underscoring China's rapid pace in the global energy transition.

According to data from the National Energy Administration (NEA) and analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, the May installations alone could generate as much electricity as countries like Poland or Sweden. Myllyvirta noted on social media, "We knew China’s rush to install solar and wind was going to be wild but WOW."

For the first five months of 2025, China's new solar installations reached nearly 198 GW, alongside 46 GW of new wind capacity. This combined build-out is equivalent to the entire electricity generation capacity of nations such as Indonesia or Turkey. The nation's total domestic solar capacity now accounts for approximately half of the world’s photovoltaic fleet.

The accelerated pace of installations in early 2025 is partly attributed to a rush to complete projects ahead of new market-based pricing reforms that took effect in June. While this policy shift is expected to temper the installation rate in the latter half of the year, the sheer volume of recent additions solidifies China's position as a global leader in renewable energy. The rapid growth in clean energy is also contributing to a decline in China's carbon emissions, despite increasing energy demand, signaling a potential earlier peak in emissions than previously targeted.