【China to double non-fossil energy by 2035 amid global volatility】

作者：CGTN 来源：CGTN 发布日期：2026年4月18日 09:01 最后更新：2026年4月18日 09:01

Topics 标签

CGTN Technology Energy Climate Change Environment English-Learning Study Tips

English Summary

China reaffirmed its ambitious goal to double non-fossil energy supply by 2035, emphasizing the development of a clean, safe, and efficient new energy system. This strategic move aims to ensure national energy security, support carbon peaking goals, and position China advantageously in global energy competition amid geopolitical uncertainties affecting fossil fuel markets.

中文总结

中国国家发展和改革委员会重申，计划到2035年将非化石能源供应翻一番。这一战略举措旨在构建清洁、安全、高效的新能源体系，确保国家能源安全，支持碳达峰目标，并在全球能源转型中占据有利地位，以应对因地缘政治不确定性带来的化石燃料市场波动。

Article 正文

China reaffirmed its goal to double the country’s non-fossil energy supply by 2035, Wang Changlin, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), announced Friday, vowing a clean, safe, efficient new energy system that supports the country’s carbon peaking goals and national energy security amidst international contingencies.

The ten-year plan to double China’s non-fossil energy supply is an important lever for building the country’s new energy system, Wang said when asked about the plan at a Friday press conference on promoting high-quality economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

The new energy system, a low-carbon, safe and efficient framework, features non-fossil energy as the primary source of supply, with fossil energy providing the baseline guarantee, Wang explained.

“This represents the only viable path for China to achieve a green and low-carbon energy transition,” Wang said, adding that the new energy framework is a strategic choice to ensure energy security and a means to gain the initiative in major-power competition.

Wang outlined five key areas the NDRC will work on during the 15th Five-Year Plan period to achieve the energy transition goal, ranging from accelerating high-quality non-fossil energy development and the orderly replacement of fossil fuels to driving technological innovation in areas like nuclear fusion and long-duration storage, while deepening institutional reforms and expanding international cooperation.

By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan, China had already established the basic framework of this new energy system, Wang said.

China’s total electricity consumption surpassed 10 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025, breaking the record for power use by any single country, the National Energy Administration announced in January. According to Wang, 21.7% of the country’s total energy consumption came from non-fossil sources.

Global green transition stressed by geopolitical uncertainties

In the face of shifting international situations and their impact on China’s oil and gas imports, the country has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure ample domestic supplies and stable market operations, Wang said, citing oil price disturbances following the latest US-Israel-Iran tension.

These efforts demonstrate the tangible results achieved in developing the country’s new energy system, Wang added.

The volatile global fossil fuel market, following the latest conflict in the Middle East, has prompted countries to reconsider their energy structures. At the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum earlier in April, the first major global energy gathering since tensions among the US, Israel and Iran escalated on February 28, European countries strengthened their case for shifting towards clean energy.

On April 2, just days before the forum, the French government announced a significant renewable energy tender to add 15 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035, along with increased onshore wind and solar projects, Xinhua reported. Official plans aim to reduce the share of fossil fuels in France’s final energy consumption from around 60% now to 40% by 2030 and further to 30% by 2035.

China’s role in global energy transition

China’s role in the global energy transition is increasingly defined by its export of non-carbon energy infrastructure, which includes Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), an essential component for converting intermittent energy sources like solar and wind into a consistent power supply.

In late 2025, the Australian mining giant Fortescue took delivery of its first major BESS from Chinese manufacturer BYD, Reuters reported on April 10. The 250 megawatt-hour (MWh) installation is the first phase of a massive 5 gigawatt-hour (GWh) target set for 2030, 20 times the current capacity.

The mining giant’s “real zero” emissions target, set to be reached as early as 2030, is now economically viable due to the dramatic price collapse in storage technology. BESS costs have been falling by 20% annually over the last decade, according to Reuters, citing energy think-tank Ember.

“We’re certainly the beneficiaries of the very attractive price of high-quality, long-term battery energy storage coming out of China,” Dino Otranto, Fortescue’s CEO for metals and operations, told Reuters.

The NDRC will actively participate in global climate governance and encourage enterprises to engage in international energy cooperation, Wang noted at Friday’s press conference. “We will adhere to bottom-line thinking and worst-case scenario planning,” Wang concluded, emphasizing that a resilient, self-sustaining energy grid is the safeguard for China’s stability in an increasingly unpredictable global landscape.

Vocabulary 词汇

Phrases & Connectors 短语与连接词

1. amidst international contingencies - 在国际突发事件之中 - 用于描述在不确定性或危机背景下的情况

• *Context: “…vowing a clean, safe, efficient new energy system that supports the country’s carbon peaking goals and national energy security amidst international contingencies.”

2. strategic choice - 战略选择 - 指经过深思熟虑的重要决策

• *Context: “…adding that the new energy framework is a strategic choice to ensure energy security and a means to gain the initiative in major-power competition.”

3. gain the initiative - 占据主动；赢得先机 - 指在竞争或行动中取得有利地位

• *Context: “…a strategic choice to ensure energy security and a means to gain the initiative in major-power competition.”

4. ranging from… to… - 从…到… - 用于列举多个项目或范围

• *Context: “…ranging from accelerating high-qualify non-fossil energy development and the orderly replacement of fossil fuels to driving technological innovation…”

5. in the face of - 面对；直面 - 用于描述在困难或挑战情况下的应对

• *Context: “In the face of shifting international situations and their impact on China’s oil and gas imports…”

6. comprehensive measures - 综合性措施；全面措施 - 指涵盖多个方面的系统性解决方案

• *Context: “…the country has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure ample domestic supplies and stable market operations…”

7. economically viable - 在经济上可行的 - 指从经济角度考虑是可持续的

• *Context: “The mining giant’s ‘real zero’ emissions target… is now economically viable due to the dramatic price collapse in storage technology.”

8. adhere to bottom-line thinking - 坚持底线思维 - 在管理中考虑最坏情况的原则

• *Context: “We will adhere to bottom-line thinking and worst-case scenario planning…”

Practice 练习

1. What is China’s goal regarding non-fossil energy by 2035?
2. According to Wang Changlin, what are the five key areas the NDRC will focus on during the 15th Five-Year Plan period?
3. What percentage of China’s total energy consumption came from non-fossil sources by the end of 2025?
4. How has the conflict in the Middle East affected global energy markets according to the article?
5. What role does China play in the global energy transition, particularly regarding energy storage technology?

Teacher’s Tip

This article provides excellent examples of formal business and policy language used in discussing energy and environmental issues. Pay attention to how Chinese government officials use precise, measured language when announcing strategic plans. Notice the vocabulary related to energy transition (“non-fossil energy,” “carbon peaking,” “energy security”) and strategic planning (“strategic choice,” “comprehensive measures,” “bottom-line thinking”). These terms are frequently used in policy documents and business reports regarding sustainability and climate change.

标签：CGTN Energy Climate Change 上篇文章：【Ancient Chinese map used to understand global environmental history】（/posts/2026-04-13-ancient-chinese-map-global-history/） 下篇文章：【标题】（链接） 相关文章：

• 【Pakistani jets scrambled to intercept Iranian drones, raising fears of wider conflict】（/posts/pakistani-jets-saudi-arabia-gulf-security-iran-war/）
• 【Inside Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel】（/posts/inside-irans-retaliatory-attack-on-israel/）