China's solar PV capacity surpasses thermal power, driving focus on end-of-life recycling and circular manufacturing
By
Shreeyashi Ojha
Summary
China's solar PV capacity has surpassed thermal power for the first time, reaching 946GW by early 2025 and 1.24TW by March 2026. Under carbon-neutral scenarios, capacity could exceed 2.8TW by 2035 and approach 6TW by 2050. As the world's largest PV market, China is positioned to lead in solar module recycling and circular manufacturing to address the emerging wave of end-of-life PV panels. The article examines policies, technologies, and market dynamics around sustainable PV lifecycle management.
Source
bskyChina's solar PV capacity surpasses thermal power, driving focus on end-of-life recycling and circular manufacturingpv-tech.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledChina's combined installed capacity of solar PV (946GW) and wind power (536GW) surpassed thermal power capacity for the first time, marking a major milestone in the country's energy transition.
Under carbon-neutral development scenarios, projections suggest that China's cumulative PV capacity could exceed 2.8TW by 2035 and potentially approach 6TW by 2050.
China, the world's largest PV market, is poised to lead sustainable solar module recycling and circular manufacturing.
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