China Issues Guidelines to Scale Up Solar Thermal Power
The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration released guidelines aiming for total installed solar thermal capacity to reach 15 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. The policy targets bringing the levelized cost of electricity from these sources to a level broadly comparable with coal-fired power.
China Shenhua Plans 133.6 Billion Yuan Asset Purchase From Parent
China Shenhua Energy Co. Ltd. (601088.SH) is advancing a massive asset restructuring plan exceeding 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) to address horizontal competition with its controlling shareholder, CHN Energy Investment Group Co. Ltd. In a filing released on Dec. 20, the listed coal giant announced plans to acquire partial assets held by CHN Energy. The deal, valued at approximately 133.6 billion yuan, involves acquiring 12 subsidiaries across coal, power, coal-to-chemical and logistics sectors. China Shenhua intends to pay 93.5 billion yuan in cash and issue 40.1 billion yuan in shares, representing 6.42% of its total share capital after the transaction.
Power Consumption Rises 6.2% in November
China’s total electricity consumption rose 6.2% year-on-year to 835.6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in November, according to the National Energy Administration. Power use in the service sector grew 10.3%, while the industrial sector saw a 4.4% increase. For the first 11 months of 2025, cumulative power consumption increased 5.2% year-on-year.
China’s Battery Output Jumps 46% in First 11 Months
Cumulative output of power and other batteries in China reached 1,469 GWh from January to November, a year-on-year increase of 46%, according to data released by Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, on Dec. 20. During the same period, 12.92 million new-energy vehicles received domestic certification, rising 18%. Breakdown data showed pure electric passenger vehicle certifications grew 30% to 7.72 million units, while plug-in hybrids rose just 1% to 4.5 million units.
EV Charging Points Surge 52% to Over 19 Million
The total number of electric-vehicle charging points in China reached 19.32 million at the end of November 2025, a 52% increase from a year earlier. Public charging points rose 36% to 4.625 million, while private charging points jumped 57.8% to 14.697 million.
International Routes Drive China’s Air Cargo Growth
China’s air cargo sector has seen sustained growth this year, primarily driven by international routes, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. From January to November, the industry transported 9.24 million tons of cargo and mail, a 13.6% increase year-on-year. Domestic routes accounted for 5.25 million tons, up 8.1%, while international routes handled 3.99 million tons, surging 21.8%.
CNOOC Discovers Another Major Oil Field in Bohai Sea
China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) announced the discovery of the Qinhuangdao 29-6 oil field, containing an estimated 100 million tons of reserves. This marks the seventh such discovery in the Bohai Sea since 2019. Tested wells at the site are producing approximately 370 tons of crude oil per day.
China’s Steel Consumption Forecast to Drop 5.4% in 2025
China’s steel consumption is expected to fall by 5.4% year-on-year to 808 million tons in 2025, according to a report released by the China Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute on Dec. 19. The institute projects consumption will slide further to 800 million tons in 2026, a slight decline of 1%.
Hyperstrong to Invest 2 Billion Yuan in Green Energy Storage Plant
Beijing Hyperstrong Technology Co. Ltd. (688411.SH) plans to invest approximately 2 billion yuan ($285 million) to build a smart green energy storage factory in Beijing’s Fangshan district. The project, expected to be completed by December 2028, will focus on the R&D, manufacturing, and testing of energy storage integration systems.
