Can rooftop solar be deployed in China?

This study moves beyond technical estimates to assess the deployable rooftop solar potential across 367 Chinese cities, factoring in real-world constraints. The findings offer actionable insights to guide strategic deployment and support China’s ambitious solar energy goals.

Why has rooftop PV soared in China?

Rooftop PV accounted for 60%, or 36 GW, of that total, marking the largest quarterly capacity addition for distributed PV in China’s history. The surge was largely driven by the urgency to meet policy deadlines set by the National Energy Administration’s (NEA) new guidelines, which were released in October last year and put into effect this May.

Are rooftop solar photovoltaics sustainable?

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative Rooftop solar photovoltaics (RPV) are vital for sustainably powering cities. However, most existing studies focus on RPV’s technical or economic potential often overlook real-world electricity consumption and regulatory constraints that shape actual deployment.

How much solar power did China install in the first quarter?

For more information, visit China installed a record 60 gigawatts (GW) of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the first quarter of 2025 – the highest ever recorded in a first quarter in the country’s history, according to Rystad Energy research and analysis.

When will China's solar PV capacity grow?

Looking ahead, steady growth in China’s annual solar PV capacity is expected until 2030.

What role will solar photovoltaics play in China's future power portfolio?

Solar photovoltaics (PV) will play a significant role in future power portfolios in China, accounting for as much as 40% of the total installed capacities 3 and national electricity demand in carbon-neutral systems in 2060 (ref. 4).