In 2021, 53 GW of solar power capacity was added in China—40% of the global total. 47 At year end, total solar power capacity reached 307 GW. 48 In the first half of 2022, roughly 31 GW of solar power were added to the grid in China. 49 China also leads the world in solar manufacturing, as it has for many years.
In 2020, 67% of solar PV modules globally were made in China. 51 China accounts for a similarly large share of global PV cell and polysilicon production. 52 In 2021, solar power was 13% of China's power capacity and produced roughly 4% of China's electricity. 53
China has excellent solar resources, especially in the western part of the country. While China's solar resources are best in the northern and western regions, in recent years more solar has been installed in the populous eastern areas of the country.
In 2021, over half of new PV installations were classified as distributed, of which 21 GW were residential rooftop solar installations eligible for fiscal subsidies. Hebei, Shandong and Hunan provinces accounted for over half of such installations, many of which focus on rural villages. 58
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