China to lead rollout of renewable energy capacity this decade

China is expected to account for almost 60% of all the renewable energy capacity installed worldwide between now and 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.

- Jillian Ambrose

The IEA's highly influential renewable energy report found that over the next six years renewable energy projects will roll out at three times the pace of the previous six years, led by the clean energy programmes of China and India.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA, said: "If I could sum this [trend] up in two words they would be: China, solar."

China will have over half of the world's renewables by the end of the decade, while the world's renewable energy capacity is on course to outpace the goals set by governments by 2030 to roughly equal the power systems in China, the European Union, India and the US combined.

The growth in solar capacity will account for 80% of all new renewable power added globally by the end of this decade, according to the IEA. It expects the rollout to accelerate due to declining costs and policy support which will enable homes and businesses to invest in solar panels to reduce their electricity bills.