A drone video that recently went viral on social media showed the incredible scale of a solar power plant in China’s Guizhou Province. The giant mountain range is literally covered in panels stretching beyond the horizon — the drone didn’t even have enough battery to capture everything,Science TV, citing the Futurism. It’s a clear illustration of how China has become a global leader in solar energy.
According to old data from China Daily , the first installations in Guizhou only appeared in 2015, but in a matter of years the region has become a key point on China’s energy map. By 2018, it was generating 1.75 million kilowatts of solar energy per year – enough to power about 1,300 Chinese households (average consumption is 1,332 kWh per year per home in 2024).
By 2020, the province’s solar generation capacity had increased more than fivefold, exceeding 10 million kilowatts. By 2023, it would be 15 million. This growth was made possible by government subsidies, cheap bank loans, and available land in the region. Despite the difficult terrain and humid climate, the mountainous province, previously unsuitable for agriculture, turned out to be ideal for solar farms.
This isn’t just a local success, but part of a larger national strategy. In 2020, China pledged to triple its renewable energy production by 2030. And it looks like the country will achieve that goal sooner — perhaps as early as 2025.
Global Energy Monitor estimates that by 2024, China was responsible for 64% of the world’s utility-scale solar and wind infrastructure, with 339 GW of capacity under construction. By comparison, the next four countries — the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Spain — had only 72 GW of capacity under construction. In 2025, those volumes grew by another 10%.
However, the path to carbon neutrality (the target is set for 2060) remains long. Despite the decline in coal consumption, it still provides about 57% of the country’s electricity generation. But the successes in solar energy are undeniable:
The giant solar farm in Guizhou is not only spectacular social media content, but also an example of how the global energy landscape is changing.
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