National Energy Administration: Annually add more than 200 million kilowatts of new renewable energy capacity, set tiered utilization‑rate targets, and meet the incremental electricity demand with renewable energy.

On November 10, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Consumption and Regulation of New Energy,” further refining policies and measures to enhance new energy integration and grid regulation.
According to the guidelines, by 2030, a coordinated and efficient multi‑level system for accommodating and regulating new energy will be essentially in place, ensuring the smooth grid connection, diversified utilization, and efficient operation of new energy sources. , the additional electricity demand is primarily met by newly commissioned renewable energy generation. It will meet the annual demand for the rational integration of over 200 million kilowatts of new energy nationwide, thereby supporting the achievement of the carbon peak target.
It is necessary to coordinate the transmission of power from “sand, gobi, and desert” new‑energy bases with local consumption. Focusing on deserts, gobi regions, arid areas, and zones affected by sandification and salinization, we should rationally plan transmission hubs to enhance the economic viability of these bases. A responsibility‑sharing framework should be established between sending and receiving ends to ensure the implementation of national strategic objectives, with particular emphasis on strengthening the receiving end’s obligations to integrate and absorb renewable energy. By promoting integrated development of new‑energy projects, facilitating the gradual relocation of industries from eastern regions to western ones, and tapping the absorption potential of western areas, we can advance large‑scale, localized consumption of renewable energy at “sand, gobi, and desert” base sites.
Optimize the integrated development and consumption of hydropower–wind–solar bases. Leveraging the large-scale hydropower bases in Southwest China and fully accounting for the regulating characteristics of hydropower, optimize the allocation of new energy resources. For existing hydropower transmission channels that meet the necessary conditions, appropriately increase the capacity allocated to new energy sources to enhance channel utilization. In conjunction with the development of the Yaxia Hydropower Base, refine the planning and feasibility studies for new‑energy integration and transmission‑consumption schemes.
Promote the establishment of integrated market‑participation trading rules for “desert, gobi, and barren land” and water‑wind‑solar new‑energy bases. ; Support new market participants such as distributed renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, and virtual power plants in engaging in the electricity market through aggregation and direct trading; conduct research to facilitate the participation of renewable energy producers and end‑users in direct transactions within inter‑provincial and inter‑regional electricity markets; and promote the development of market pricing mechanisms that align with the characteristics and spatial distribution of renewable energy generation.
Fully tap the potential of distributed renewable energy resources and expand the scope of their development. Strengthen the self‑regulation capabilities of distributed renewables to increase the share of on‑site generation and consumption. Revise the standards for assessing grid‑connection capacity, thereby unlocking additional capacity in the public grid to accommodate distributed renewable energy.
In addition, we will promote the healthy and sustainable development of new business models for local consumption of renewable energy, such as integrated source–grid–load–storage systems, direct green‑power supply, smart microgrids, and the integration of new energy into incremental distribution networks. We will support local grid connection of renewable energy, enhance green‑power consumption in industrial parks, commercial buildings, export‑oriented enterprises, and high‑energy‑intensive industries, and improve power‑supply reliability in remote areas.
The document emphasizes enhancing the power grid’s capacity to accommodate new energy sources. It calls for accelerating the development of a new‑generation grid platform that integrates transmission, distribution, and microgrid systems, thereby boosting the grid’s carrying capacity. The national electricity flow patterns will be optimized to further expand the scope of new‑energy resource allocation and steadily increase the scale of interprovincial and interregional transmission channels. By fully leveraging inter‑regional and interprovincial ancillary resources and the complementary characteristics of new‑energy output, flexible and mutually supportive grid projects will be rationally planned and deployed to strengthen mutual support capabilities. Meanwhile, efforts will be intensified to reinforce the main grid infrastructure, further improving its ability to integrate and absorb new‑energy generation.
It is necessary to establish a new‑generation power dispatching system, further clarifying the regulatory relationships and delineating the respective responsibilities among dispatching agencies, grid operators at all levels, centralized renewable energy sources, and distributed renewable energy systems. Strengthening the capacity of municipal‑ and county‑level dispatching institutions will comprehensively enhance observability, measurability, adjustability, and controllability, as well as elevate the level of intelligent dispatching. Moreover, we should explore coordinated control models for clusters of “desert‑Gobi‑barren land” renewable energy bases, hydropower–wind–solar complexes, and offshore wind farms, and accelerate the integration of renewable energy with on‑site, co‑located energy storage to enable unified output‑curve management.
The document states that the guiding role of planning must be strengthened, In the five-year power development plan, tiered targets for renewable energy utilization rates are set for different regions, enabling a scientifically coordinated approach to the development and integration of renewable energy. Promote, in a coordinated manner, the planning and deployment of new energy sources, along with the development of supporting grid infrastructure and ancillary capacity for regulation. Refine methods for assessing new‑energy integration, and advance the transition of such assessments from a single metric—new‑energy utilization rate—to a comprehensive evaluation framework.

See details below:
 

Guiding Opinions of the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration on Promoting the Consumption and Regulation of New Energy

NDRC Energy [2025] No. 1360

To the Development and Reform Commissions and Energy Bureaus of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; to the Beijing Municipal Commission of City Administration; to the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; to the Liaoning Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; to the Gansu Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; to all branch institutions of the National Energy Administration; and to relevant central enterprises:

 

To comprehensively implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the successive plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, to enforce the Energy Law of the People’s Republic of China, and to refine policies and measures for the integration and regulation of new energy sources, thereby providing robust support for the development of a new energy system and a new power system, the following guidelines are hereby put forward.

 

I. General Requirements

 

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will thoroughly implement the new energy security strategy of “Four Revolutions and One Cooperation,” adhering to a systems‑based approach, tailored policies, diversified integration, market‑driven mechanisms, safety as the foundation, and innovation‑led development. We will refine measures for integrating new energy into the grid, optimize system dispatch and control, and ensure that large‑scale new‑energy development is accompanied by high‑quality consumption. By 2030, a coordinated, efficient, multi‑level system for managing and integrating new energy will be essentially in place, continuously guaranteeing smooth grid connection, diversified utilization, and efficient operation, with newly added electricity demand primarily met by additional new‑energy generation. The adaptability of the new power system will be significantly enhanced, system regulation capacity will see a substantial boost, mechanisms within the electricity market for promoting new‑energy integration will be further improved, and inter‑provincial and inter‑regional trading of new energy will become smoother, thereby meeting the annual national requirement to integrate more than 200 million kilowatts of new energy and supporting the achievement of the carbon‑peak target. By 2035, a new power system capable of accommodating a high share of new energy will be largely completed; the system for managing and integrating new energy will be further refined; and the national unified electricity market will play a foundational role in allocating new‑energy resources, enabling optimized nationwide allocation and efficient consumption of new energy, thus underpinning the realization of China’s nationally determined contributions.

 

II. Categorically Guiding the Development and Integration of New Energy Sources

 

(1) Coordinate the transmission of power from “sand, gobi, and desert” new‑energy bases with local consumption. Fully implement the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and arrangements for sand control and desertification prevention, as well as the development and spatial planning of these new‑energy bases, and promote a dual approach that balances power transmission to other regions with local utilization. Focus on deserts, gobi areas, arid zones, and regions affected by sandification and salinization, rationally siting transmission hubs to enhance their economic viability. Establish a responsibility framework at both sending and receiving ends to ensure alignment with national strategic objectives, and strengthen the receiving end’s obligation to integrate and absorb renewable energy. Through integrated development of renewable energy, phased industrial relocation to eastern regions, and tapping the absorption potential in western areas, facilitate large‑scale, localized consumption of power generated at “sand, gobi, and desert” new‑energy bases.

 

(2) Optimize the integrated development and consumption of hydropower–wind–solar bases. Leveraging the large-scale hydropower bases in Southwest China and fully accounting for the regulating characteristics of hydropower, we will optimize the allocation of new energy resources. For existing hydropower transmission channels that meet the necessary conditions, we will appropriately increase the capacity allocated to new energy sources, thereby enhancing channel utilization. In conjunction with the development of the Yaxia Hydropower Base, we will refine and validate schemes for the optimal configuration and transmission‑consumption of new energy.

 

(3) Promote the standardized and orderly development and integration of offshore wind power. In line with the requirements for high-quality development of the marine economy, we will adopt a scientifically sound spatial planning approach to offshore wind power, continue advancing nearshore wind projects, and systematically advance the construction of deep- and far-offshore wind power bases. We will coordinate and optimize the offshore transmission grid, adopt an intensive layout for submarine cable corridors and landing points, ensure centralized transmission from offshore wind power bases, and prioritize local consumption in coastal regions.

 

(4) Promote the scientific and efficient development and integration of centralized new energy projects within the province. Taking into account resource endowments and electricity demand growth, and in alignment with the requirements for implementing renewable energy consumption responsibility targets, we will strategically plan the deployment of centralized new energy facilities, optimize the development mix, appropriately manage the pace of project construction, strengthen grid‑balancing capacity, enhance grid transmission and distribution capabilities, and ensure the efficient integration of new energy. We will also carry out pilot surveys to comprehensively assess new energy resources.

 

(5) Actively expand the development and consumption capacity of distributed renewable energy. Fully tap the potential of distributed renewable energy resources and broaden the range of deployment scenarios. Strengthen the self‑regulation capabilities of distributed renewable energy systems and increase the share of on‑site generation and self‑consumption. Revise the standards for assessing grid‑connection capacity, thereby unlocking additional capacity in the public grid to accommodate distributed renewable energy.

 

III. Vigorously promote innovative development of new models and business formats for integrating and consuming new energy.

 

(6) Innovate integrated development models for new energy. Develop and implement policies and measures to promote the integrated development of new energy, supporting regions rich in new‑energy resources—such as deserts, gobi, and barren lands—in strengthening coordination across the upstream and downstream segments of the new‑energy value chain and establishing an integrated industrial system. Elevate the level of green‑electricity utilization in new‑energy equipment manufacturing, thereby achieving “green‑to‑green” production. Coordinately plan and deploy integrated industries for the production, storage, transportation, and utilization of green fuels such as green hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohols, fostering “flexible loads.” Advance the construction of zero‑carbon industrial parks.

 

(7) Promote the integrated development of new energy and industry. Actively advance the coordinated alignment between industrial gradient transfer in eastern regions and local consumption of new‑energy resources, and steadily and orderly facilitate the relocation of high‑energy‑intensive industries to western areas with strong clean‑energy advantages. Encourage traditional industries to innovate their production processes, enhance load flexibility, and increase the use of new energy in thermal, heating, cooling, and power‑generation applications. Support regions rich in new‑energy resources to achieve integrated development among strategic emerging industries—such as information technology, high‑end equipment manufacturing, and new materials—and new energy. Strengthen the coordinated planning, layout, and optimized operation of new‑energy systems and computing‑power infrastructure, and promote the green development of computing‑power facilities.

 

(8) Support the development of new business models for local consumption of new energy. Promote the healthy and sustainable growth of integrated source–grid–load–storage systems, direct green‑power supply, smart microgrids, and the connection of new energy to incremental distribution networks, thereby facilitating local utilization of renewable energy. Facilitate local grid access for new energy sources, enhance green‑power consumption in industrial parks, commercial buildings, export‑oriented enterprises, and high‑energy‑intensive industries, and improve power supply reliability in remote areas. Develop tailored, comprehensive support policies, management frameworks, and technical standards; strengthen coordination with grid planning; clearly define the boundaries of safety, economic, and social responsibilities vis‑à‑vis the public grid; enhance self‑balancing and self‑regulating capabilities; and exclude curtailed renewable energy from statistical reporting.

 

IV. Enhancing the New Power System’s Ability to Accommodate Renewable Energy

 

(9) Accelerate the enhancement of system flexibility. Actively advance the construction of key reservoir‑based hydropower stations and the expansion and capacity‑upgrade of existing hydropower facilities. Speed up the development of pumped‑storage hydropower plants to fully leverage their multiple functions, including peak shaving and valley filling. Vigorously promote the deployment of advanced, safe, and efficient new‑type energy storage technologies, unlock the potential of grid‑connected energy storage integrated with renewable sources, and improve its utilization rate. Appropriately plan peaking gas‑fired power generation. Develop concentrating solar power plants tailored to local conditions. Facilitate the transformation and upgrading of next‑generation coal‑fired power plants, and encourage the use of renewable energy to replace coal‑fired captive power generation. Fully harness the role of virtual power plants in aggregating demand‑side resources for regulation, and expand the large‑scale application of vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) integration.

 

(10) Enhance the grid’s capacity to accommodate new energy sources. Accelerate the development of a new‑generation grid platform that integrates transmission, distribution, and microgrid systems, thereby boosting the grid’s carrying capacity. Optimize national power flow patterns, further expand the scope of new‑energy resource allocation, and steadily increase the capacity of interprovincial and interregional transmission channels. Fully leverage inter‑regional and interprovincial ancillary resources and the complementary characteristics of new‑energy output, rationally plan flexible, mutually supportive grid projects, and strengthen mutual assistance capabilities. Strengthen the construction of the main grid framework to improve its ability to integrate and absorb new energy. Vigorously advance the upgrading and intelligent transformation of distribution networks, and expedite the development of a new‑type distribution system capable of accommodating large‑scale, distributed new‑energy integration. Promote, on a case‑by‑case basis, the coordinated development of smart microgrids and the bulk grid.

 

(11) Optimize the regulation and control framework for new energy. Establish a new‑type power dispatching system, further clarifying the regulatory relationships and delineating the responsibilities of dispatching agencies, grid operators at all levels, centralized new‑energy facilities, and distributed new‑energy systems. Strengthen the capacity of municipal and county‑level dispatching institutions, comprehensively enhancing their capabilities in visibility, measurability, adjustability, and controllability, as well as advancing the level of intelligent dispatching. Explore coordinated control models for clusters of “desert‑Gobi‑wasteland” new‑energy bases, hydropower–wind–solar complexes, and offshore wind farms, and accelerate the integration of new‑energy generation with on‑site, co‑located energy storage to enable unified output‑curve management. Revise the power dispatching management system and reinforce oversight of power dispatching activities.

 

(12) Strengthen safety governance for the new‑type power system. Enhance grid safety and stability analysis during the planning phase of new‑energy bases, and reinforce grid safety and stability management during the operational phase. Deepen risk management and control for active distribution networks, and establish a robust system for risk identification, monitoring, and control. Improve the grid‑connection safety management framework for new energy sources and emerging grid‑connected entities, strengthen full‑cycle oversight of grid‑connection safety performance and parameters, strictly enforce grid‑connection performance assessment procedures, standardize grid‑connection access and operational management, and bolster cybersecurity controls.

 

V. Improving the National Unified Electricity Market System to Facilitate the Integration of New Energy Sources

 

(13) Expand a multi-tiered market-based system for accommodating new energy. In response to the volatile nature of new‑energy output, shorten medium- and long-term trading cycles to enable flexible, continuous trading; promote multi‑year power purchase agreement mechanisms to secure stable, long‑term consumption capacity. Fully leverage the functions of the spot market, strengthen its integration with demand‑side response mechanisms, and encourage system‑level flexibility resources to actively participate in grid regulation. Refine user‑side participation mechanisms in spot‑market trading to unlock the potential for flexible demand‑side adjustments. Reasonably design ancillary‑service product categories, improve mechanisms for passing costs onto the user side, and ensure the stable operation of the power system as new energy expands at scale. Use inter‑provincial medium‑ and long‑term transactions to solidify the “baseline” for cross‑provincial new‑energy consumption, while relying on inter‑provincial spot markets and intra‑regional inter‑provincial mutual‑assistance trading to flexibly address short‑term fluctuations in new‑energy absorption. Advance the institutionalization of regularized inter‑grid‑region electricity trading for new energy.

 

(14) Improve the regulatory framework to accommodate the participation of new energy sources in the electricity market. Promote the establishment of trading rules that enable integrated participation in the market for “desert‑, gobi‑, and barren‑land” as well as hydropower‑wind‑solar new‑energy bases; support new market participants—such as distributed new energy, energy storage, and virtual power plants—in engaging in the electricity market through aggregation and direct‑trading mechanisms; conduct research to facilitate the direct participation of new energy producers and end‑users in inter‑provincial and inter‑regional electricity markets; and develop market‑based bidding approaches that align with the generation characteristics and spatial distribution of new energy. Further refine market mechanisms such as price caps to fully leverage price signals in guiding the integration and consumption of new energy. Actively advance the high‑quality development of the green certificate market, promote coordinated operations among the electricity, certificate, and carbon markets, and ensure that the environmental value of new energy is accurately reflected.

 

(15) Innovate price mechanisms to facilitate the integration of new energy. Establish and refine mechanisms for the formation and adjustment of inter‑provincial and inter‑regional transmission prices for new‑energy power, encouraging integrated pricing across all types of generating units at new‑energy export hubs. Enhance the flexibility of transmission‑price mechanisms for inter‑provincial and inter‑regional transmission channels, and conduct research on pricing mechanisms relevant to offshore wind‑power transmission projects. Implement and improve tariff mechanisms that promote local consumption of new energy. Further develop and refine capacity‑based tariff mechanisms for regulating resources such as coal‑fired power, pumped storage, and emerging forms of energy storage. Accelerate the effective transmission of market price signals to end users, improve retail pricing mechanisms that reflect time‑of‑use value differentials, and explore the establishment of a robust time‑of‑use pricing framework for residential consumers.

 

VI. Strengthening Technological Innovation to Support the Integration of New Energy Sources

 

(16) Achieve breakthroughs in technologies for the efficient generation and utilization of new energy. Strengthen research and development of high‑efficiency, low‑cost photovoltaic and wind power technologies, and pilot the construction of ultra‑large‑capacity, deep‑water offshore wind turbines. Accelerate improvements in the accuracy of power forecasting across multiple time scales, including very short‑term, short‑term, and medium‑ to long‑term forecasts.

 

(17) Tackle key technologies for flexible system regulation. Innovatively deploy diverse technological approaches, including flow batteries, compressed air energy storage, and gravitational energy storage, to accelerate breakthroughs in large‑capacity, long‑duration energy storage. Promote the installation of variable‑speed regulation capabilities in newly built pumped‑storage hydropower stations. Deepen the application of coordinated operation and control technologies for virtual power plants and multi‑party trading mechanisms, and expand the deployment of novel load‑flexibility technologies. Expedite the pilot implementation and wider adoption of next‑generation coal‑fired power generation technologies.

 

(18) Strengthen grid operation technologies. Intensify research on high-efficiency simulation and stable‑operation control for power systems with a high share of renewable energy and a high proportion of power‑electronic equipment. Conduct pilot projects to test ultra‑high‑voltage flexible DC transmission for large‑scale new energy integration, large‑capacity, high‑voltage offshore flexible DC submarine cable transmission, and multi‑terminal DC island‑mode operation. Enhance the technical capabilities for power collection at new‑energy bases and for the stable operation of weak‑sending‑end systems. Promote grid‑forming control technologies to improve the grid‑connection performance and active support capabilities of new energy sources. Accelerate the revision of technical standards for new‑energy grid connection.

 

(19) Upgrade intelligent control and regulation technologies. Accelerate the application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing in the coordinated operation of main, distribution, and microgrids. Promote the deployment of state‑sensing technologies to enhance the grid’s capability for dynamic monitoring of distributed resources. Expedite the implementation of large‑scale source–grid–load–storage resource aggregation and control technologies, and further refine collaborative control techniques for new‑energy power‑generation bases.

 

VII. Safeguard Measures

 

(20) Optimize the management mechanism for accommodating new energy. Strengthen the guiding role of planning by setting tiered targets for new‑energy utilization rates across different regions in the five‑year power development plan, thereby achieving a balanced and coordinated approach to new‑energy development and integration. Promote the integrated advancement of new‑energy project siting and grid‑connection infrastructure, as well as the development of ancillary grid‑balancing and regulation capabilities. Refine methods for assessing new‑energy accommodation, gradually shifting from a single indicator—new‑energy utilization rate—to a comprehensive evaluation framework. Provincial energy authorities shall scientifically formulate annual new‑energy utilization‑rate targets and three‑year outlooks for their respective regions, clearly defining annual plans for new‑energy development and integration. Based on these utilization‑rate targets and the renewable‑energy electricity consumption obligation weighting targets, comprehensively determine the annual scale of newly added grid‑connected new‑energy capacity, including distributed generation. Implement the minimum share requirements for renewable‑energy consumption, accelerate the establishment of a green‑certificate trading mechanism that combines mandatory and voluntary consumption, and further strengthen accountability for the effective integration of renewable‑energy electricity.

 

(21) Clarify the division of responsibilities. The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration shall coordinate and advance the integration and regulation of new energy, guiding each province to optimize its targets for new‑energy utilization rates and development scales. Provincial energy authorities are the primary entities responsible for ensuring the integration of new energy within their respective regions, comprehensively organizing and implementing all relevant measures to achieve the set integration goals. Grid enterprises bear the principal responsibility for facilitating the connection of new‑energy sources to the grid and for system operation and control, continuously strengthening grid infrastructure and optimizing system operations. Power generation companies shall enhance their capacity to reliably replace conventional generation with new energy and bolster the development of ancillary resources. All types of market participants are encouraged to actively engage in interactions with the power system.

 

(22) Strengthen monitoring, regulation, and target implementation. Optimize the collection and public release of statistics on new‑energy utilization rates, and refine the management measures for monitoring and statistical reporting as needed. Provincial energy authorities shall establish a full‑cycle monitoring and early‑warning mechanism covering the entire process—from planning and construction to grid connection and consumption—promptly analyzing local new‑energy consumption conditions. Regions experiencing a significant decline in utilization rates or failing to meet their targets must conduct rigorous, evidence‑based assessments of the scale of newly connected capacity, thereby preventing a sharp drop in utilization rates. The National Energy Administration’s dispatched agencies shall carry out routine oversight of the implementation of policies and measures related to new‑energy consumption and grid‑regulation, and report any major issues without delay.

 

National Development and Reform Commission

National Energy Administration

October 29, 2025