The “15th Five-Year Plan” for Building a New Energy System has been issued, setting out the key energy development indicators and construction tasks for 2030.

Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration issued the “Plan for Building a New-Type Energy System.” The “15th Five-Year Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”) takes high-quality energy development as its central theme, guided by the goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. Focusing on the strategic objective of building a strong energy nation, the Plan systematically outlines the spatial layout, target tasks, and supporting measures for China’s energy development during the 15th Five-Year period, thereby providing clear direction and concrete implementation pathways to steer high-quality energy development in this phase. In terms of development indicators and priority tasks, the Plan centers on expanding the scale of renewable energy, enhancing its quality, and ensuring reliable energy substitution, while accelerating the establishment of a new energy system that is clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient.

01

Key Development Indicators for the 2030 Milestone

The plan sets forth that by 2030, China will have preliminarily established a new energy system that is clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient, with the following key indicators:

(1) Supply Structure: Total energy production capacity reaches 5.8 billion tons of standard coal; coal and oil consumption have peaked, with non-fossil energy accounting for 25% of total consumption; the share of wind and solar installed capacity exceeds 50%, non-fossil energy generation accounts for 50%, and new‑energy generation accounts for 30%.

(2) Installed capacity: conventional hydropower approximately 410 million kW, nuclear power 110 million kW; pumped-storage hydropower 160 million kW, advanced energy storage 300 million kW; vehicle‑to‑grid interaction and virtual power plant regulation capacities each at 50 million kW.

(3) Industrial Development: Renewable‑energy‑based hydrogen production will reach 2 million tonnes; a new‑generation power system and a nationwide unified electricity market will be largely in place, with overall independent and controllable access to critical energy‑related equipment.

02

Optimize the national energy infrastructure layout.

According to Adopting a “national unified strategy,” we will develop five major non‑fossil energy hubs: wind and solar power in the Three North region, hydropower and wind‑solar integration in the Southwest, coastal nuclear power, offshore wind power, and distributed renewable energy.

The power transmission network will add over 80 million kilowatts of capacity for transmitting electricity from west to east, while enhancing inter‑regional grid mutual assistance by an additional 40 million kilowatts. The coal railway collection and distribution system will be improved, and outbound transport corridors for Xinjiang coal will be expanded. Nationwide, the oil and gas pipeline network will be extended by 20,000 kilometers, further consolidating a unified national oil and gas network.

03

Coordinate the green and orderly development and transformation of various energy sources.

Promote the orderly development of onshore wind and solar power, advance the large-scale deployment of deep-sea and offshore wind, concentrating solar power, and marine energy, and build grid‑friendly renewable energy power stations to support these initiatives. Leverage coal‑mining subsidence areas for the siting of photovoltaic and wind projects. Push forward major hydropower projects, such as those along the lower Yarlung Tsangpo River, with high quality; ensure the safe and steady development of Generation III nuclear power; and concurrently plan demonstration projects for advanced reactor technologies.

Coordinate the full‑chain development of hydrogen energy and green fuels, from production and storage to transportation and end‑use; leverage renewable energy to produce green hydrogen and expand the applications of hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol in power generation, transportation, and energy storage. Transition coal‑fired power plants into system‑balancing resources, achieving clean decarbonization through peak‑shaving upgrades and CCUS technologies, while rationally deploying natural‑gas‑fired power stations. Establish strategic coal‑to‑oil and coal‑to‑gas hubs, and promote biofuels and new‑energy‑powered transport equipment.

04

Developing a new type of system tailored to a high share of renewable energy.

Power system

According to Adopting a “nationwide unified plan” approach, we will develop five major non‑fossil energy hubs: wind and solar power in the Three North region, hydropower and wind‑solar hybrid projects in Southwest China, coastal nuclear power, offshore wind power, and distributed renewable energy. Power transmission capacity for delivering electricity from west to east will be expanded by more than 80 million kilowatts, while inter‑regional grid mutual assistance capacity will be increased by 40 million kilowatts. We will also improve the coal‑railway collection and distribution system and expand outbound transport corridors for Xinjiang coal. Furthermore, the national oil and gas pipeline network will be extended by an additional 20,000 kilometers, solidifying a nationwide integrated oil and gas network.

05

Adhere to innovation-driven development and strategically position cutting-edge energy technologies.

Accelerate research and development to achieve domestic production of mature technologies and equipment in areas such as deep-sea wind power, heavy-duty gas turbines, flexible DC transmission, and smart mines; continue to advance cutting-edge technologies including controlled nuclear fusion, space-based power stations, and high-temperature superconducting power transmission. Promote coordinated planning between new-energy bases and computing-power hubs, and build… The “Energy + Digital” industrial cluster will strengthen China’s global competitiveness in the new‑energy value chain and foster a high‑end nuclear‑power equipment cluster.

06

The six major systems are being advanced in a coordinated manner to build a strong energy nation.

The plan outlines the deployment of six supporting systems: a new‑type energy infrastructure system, an energy security assurance system, a green and low‑carbon energy consumption system, an energy technology innovation system, a modernized energy governance system, and a diversified international cooperation system for energy.

The document states that the 15th Five-Year Plan period represents a critical phase for energy transition, technological innovation, and institutional reform. Grounded in the new energy security strategy of “Four Revolutions and One Cooperation,” the plan balances development with security, comprehensively strengthens the foundations of energy supply, and firmly safeguards the national energy security baseline.