China sets wind power record

China’s wind power capacity hit a record high in 2015 with the government launching new initiatives to boost renewable energy development.

Wind power generated a record 186.3 terawatt hours of electricity across the country, which is about 3.3 per cent of China’s total electric power production.

In a statement on Tuesday, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said that new wind power capacity jumped to 32.97 gigawatts last year, more than 60 per cent higher than 2014.

Wind power generated 186.3 terawatt hours of electricity throughout the year, equating to 3.3 per cent of the country’s total electric energy production.

The Chinese government has increased its support for wind energy and solar power generation in recent years with the aim of reducing its reliance on coal, addressing environmental issues including severe smog and achieving international climate targets.

The government has a target to increase the share of clean power in China’s energy mix to 20 per cent by 2030 from from the current level of about 11 per cent.