China has published its first comprehensive guideline to enhance the consumption and regulation of renewable energy, aiming to ensure large  clean-power deployment is matched by efficient usage, Xinhua reported.

The Guideline on Promoting the Consumption and Regulation of New Energy, jointly issued on 10 November by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration, sets two key milestones.

By 2030, China plans to establish a coordinated system to manage renewable power more efficiently, enabling smoother power trading between provinces and better grid integration.

By 2035, the country aims to build a “new-type power system” capable of accommodating a much higher share of renewables, supported by a unified national electricity market to balance supply and demand nationwide.

China’s renewable power sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, with total wind and solar capacity reaching 1.48 terawatts in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing coal for the first time.

Yet rising “curtailment” pressures, when available wind or solar power goes unused, have highlighted the need for stronger consumption mechanisms, according to officials from the National Energy Administration.

Bloomberg data shows that in the first half of 2025, solar curtailment rose to 5.7% from 3% a year earlier, while wind curtailment reached 6.6%, up from 3.9% in 2024.

To address these challenges, the new policy divides new-energy projects into five categories and calls for tailored strategies for each. For example, combining local consumption with long-distance power transmission for desert bases, and strengthening offshore power networks to serve coastal demand.

The guideline refines China’s earlier strategy for building a new-type power system, Zhang Kuiye of the China Energy Research Society told Jiemian News.

Zhang said it offers a clear “roadmap” covering policy, market, technology and regulation, marking a shift in China’s renewable sector from rapid capacity expansion to higher quality, coordinated development.

Read Dialogue Earth’s analysis on how to future-proof China’s grid.