Building 1,400+ GW of wind and solar is only half the challenge - the power has to reach load centers 1,000+ km away. China is answering with the world's largest ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission network, massive storage deployment, and a grid code that is rapidly adapting to variable renewables.
Ultra-high-voltage highways
UHV lines (±800 kV DC and 1,000 kV AC) move electricity from renewable-rich western and northern provinces to coastal demand hubs. Dozens of UHV corridors are in operation or under construction, enabling "send west power east" and reducing curtailment of desert solar and wind.
Storage: pumped hydro and batteries
Pumped-storage hydropower remains the largest flexible resource, while utility-scale batteries are being paired with solar and wind at scale to shift output and provide frequency support. Falling cell costs (see the battery supply chain) make multi-hour storage increasingly economic.
Coal still backs up the system
Despite the renewables surge, coal-fired generation was about 55% of total electricity in 2024 (down from about 58% in 2023), providing the firm capacity that balances solar and wind. The planning view is a "new power system" where non-fossil generation leads on energy while coal and storage provide stability - not an immediate coal exit.
Non-fossil generation is rising fast
Non-fossil sources accounted for about 42.9% of electricity generation in 2025 (forecast), and renewables supplied the large majority of 2024's net electricity-demand growth. For siting and cost analysis, our provincial electricity price & emission factor tool shows how tariffs and grid factors vary by province.
Frequently asked questions
How does China transmit renewable power over long distances?
Primarily through an expanding ultra-high-voltage (UHV) network of ±800 kV DC and 1,000 kV AC lines linking western renewable bases to eastern cities.
What role does coal still play in China's grid?
Coal provided roughly 55% of electricity generation in 2024 and supplies firm, dispatchable capacity that balances variable wind and solar while storage scales up.
How much of China's electricity is non-fossil?
Non-fossil sources were about 19.8% of primary energy in 2024 and are forecast near 43% of electricity generation in 2025, with renewables meeting most new demand growth.