Distributed solar photovoltaic development potential and a roadmap at the city level in China

China has the world?s largest photovoltaic (PV) market, and its cumulative PV installation capacity reached more than 200 GW in 2019. However, a large gap remains to achieve the ambitious target of 1200 GW of wind and solar power installation capacity by 2030. Are there sufficient solar resources, and where should the PV modules be installed? There are no clear answers to these questions. This paper aims to identify the availability and feasibility of developing distributed solar PV (DSPV) systems in China?s cities. The results show that China has many DSPV resources, but they are unevenly distributed. The potential for DSPV systems is greatest in eastern and southern China, areas of relatively low solar radiation. Furthermore, the difference in the potential of DSPV development among cities requires targeted policies for different geographical areas. Similarly, the difference in DSPV generation to satisfy the electricity demand in various sectors requires political and industrial efforts to address the mismatch between solar PV power generation capacity, electricity demand, and solar radiation in different regions.

Automated summary

China has the world's largest PV market with cumulative installation capacity exceeding 200 GW in 2019. However, to reach the ambitious target of 1200 GW by 2030, efforts are still needed. The uneven distribution of distributed PV resources in Chinese cities requires targeted policies for development.