China added 60 gigawatts (GW) of new solar power capacity in the first three months of 2025. This was China’s largest-ever first-quarter addition. Rooftop solar systems contributed around 36 GW, which is 60% of the total capacity added.
This increase in rooftop installations follows new policy guidelines announced in October 2024 by the National Energy Administration (NEA). These guidelines took effect in May 2025. They support the use of solar power at the point of generation, helping to reduce pressure on the national grid. The focus is on self-consumption, grid stability, and reducing dependence on central power plants.
A recent report by Rystad energy shows that most rooftop systems are being installed for commercial and industrial (C&I) use. The total installed capacity of distributed solar in China is expected to reach 130 GW by the end of the year. This will include about 92 GW from C&I projects and 38 GW from residential users.
Utility-scale solar projects are also continuing. Around 167 GW of utility-scale solar is expected to be added this year. This is being driven by large ongoing projects and action from provincial governments. The growth is linked to targets under China’s current Five-Year Plan, which ends in 2025.
In addition to the large national figures, local and small-scale renewable energy projects are also taking place. For example, in Gansu Province, an agricultural solar pilot has been deployed on reclaimed land. This project combines 3 MW of solar panels with crop farming on the same land area.
In China’s Hunan Province, a rural solar battery storage initiative has been launched in three villages. The combined output of the three sites is 1.2 MW with 3 MWh of storage. The aim is to improve grid access for remote communities.
In Anhui, an old industrial warehouse has been converted into a 5 MW rooftop solar site. This site now powers cold storage units and feeds extra power back to the grid.
