China Renewable Energy Expansion on Track

China will replace huge amounts of fossil fuels with renewable energy in the next five years in pursuit of better air quality. By the end of 2020, renewable energy facilities will supply 1.9 trillion kilowatt hours of electricity, accounting for 27% of total power generation, according to the National Development and Reform Commission 2016-2020 plan for renewable energy, Xinhua reported. China will annually utilize renewable energy equivalent to 730 million tons of standard coal by 2020 according to the plan. Policy support for renewable energy, technological improvements and reduced costs will substantially change China's energy mix, with more wind, solar, and geothermal power alongside biomass energy rendering the economy cleaner and more sustainable. China’s renewable energy sector is growing faster than its fossil fuels and nuclear power capacity. Whilst China has the world's largest installations of solar and wind power its energy needs are so great that in 2013 renewables provided just a little over 20% of its power generation, with most of the remainder provided by traditional coal power facilities.