China's RE Outlook 2019

In the 13th five‐year plan, China launched the idea of an energy revolution with the aim to develop a clean, low‐carbon, safe and efficient energy system towards 2050.

Since then, there have be progress in a number of areas. The air in the big cities is cleaner today than five years ago, the share of coal in the energy consumption is lower, there has been a massive deployment of renewable energy, and new policy instruments like power market reforms, emission trading schemes and mandatory consumption target for renewable energy have be introduced.

However, this is only the beginning of the revolution. To reach the long‐term vision of an ecological civilisation with an economic development within ecological boundaries, the efforts and pace of the energy transition must reach a new level. The benefits of a green energy transition are enormous and will enable China to continue the economic development into a moderately prosperous society with a reasonable economic growth.

It is important to realise that the transition will create both winners and losers in the short term when the energy system changes from black to green. Hence the transition process must address these challenges without losing sight of the long‐term goal.

China Renewable Energy Outlook 2019, CREO 2019, shows how China can fulfil its ambitions of an ecological, low-carbon society towards 2050. It also focuses on the short‐term actions in the context of the long‐term visions for the Chinese energy system. The rapid cost reduction for solar and wind power gives basis for stepping up the deployment rate of these technologies, but a number of barriers must be removed to ensure a smooth and cost‐efficient integration into the whole system.

The next five years will be crucial for the energy transition. The 14th five‐year plan will set the direction and pace for the transition, and China’s commitment to the Paris Agreement in the coming years will be decisive for the possibilities to solve the global climate crisis.