New Energy Weekly Report

This week (January 19 – January 23, 2026), the energy sector in China continues to demonstrate vitality in transformation and development through policy guidance, industry innovation, and corporate initiatives. Five departments have jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on the Construction of Zero Carbon Factories,” and funding from long-term special government bonds is now available to support equipment upgrades. The record highs in electricity consumption and gas supply reflect a steady increase in energy demand and the strengthening of supply capabilities. Regions such as Henan, Shanxi, and Jilin are balancing electricity supply and demand effectively.

Joint Guidelines on Zero Carbon Factory Construction

On January 19, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and the National Energy Administration jointly issued a notice regarding the construction of zero carbon factories (Document No. 13 [2026] of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology).

Cancellation of Export Tax Rebates for Certain Products

On January 20, during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office, Li Xianzhong, Director-General of the Comprehensive Department of the Ministry of Finance, announced that the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration will cancel export tax rebates for photovoltaic products and other items starting April 1, 2026, and will phase out battery product export tax rebates over two years. This move is aimed at addressing unhealthy competition in the industry.

Funding for Equipment Upgrades

On January 22, the National Development and Reform Commission announced the issuance of the first batch of 93.6 billion yuan in long-term special government bonds to support equipment upgrades. This funding will cover various sectors, including industry, energy, electricity, and environmental protection, supporting approximately 4,500 projects and driving total investment exceeding 460 billion yuan.

2025 Industrial Power Generation Data

On January 19, the National Bureau of Statistics released energy production data for December 2025. In December 2025, the electricity generation of large-scale industrial enterprises reached 858.6 billion kilowatt-hours, marking a year-on-year increase of 0.1%. The average daily electricity generation was 27.7 billion kilowatt-hours. From January to December 2025, the cumulative electricity generation was 9,715.9 billion kilowatt-hours, showing a year-on-year growth of 2.2%.

Launch of China’s Largest Gas Power Plant

On January 20, the China Energy Group announced that the Zhejiang Anji Power Plant has officially commenced full-capacity operation. This plant is the largest and most efficient gas power plant in China, designed to provide stable support for peak electricity demand in the East China region during winter. The Anji Power Plant features two units with a total installed capacity of 1,686 megawatts and a design efficiency of 64.15%. As a flexible clean energy source, it can quickly start and adjust output within 90 minutes, thereby enhancing grid stability and facilitating the efficient consumption of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

Recall of Defective Power Banks

On January 21, during a press conference by the State Administration for Market Regulation, it was reported that the agency has intensified its efforts to recall defective power banks. In 2025, a total of 139.77 million defective mobile power supplies were recalled over ten instances.

Record Gas Supply by Sinopec

On January 21, the Sinopec news office reported that due to the first major cold wave of the year, energy demand for residential use has surged. Sinopec has closely monitored market changes, ensured safety in production, and organized resource deployment, supplying over 800 million cubic meters of natural gas to the market from January 17 to 20, with a peak daily supply reaching 220 million cubic meters, setting a new high for this heating season.

Daily Gas Supply Breaks Records

In response to the severe cold wave affecting many areas, the National Pipeline Group reported on January 21 that the daily gas supply from the national trunk natural gas pipeline network has reached 1.1 billion cubic meters, setting a new historical record.

Electricity Consumption in Southern Power Grid

According to the Southern Power Grid report on January 21, the total electricity consumption in the Southern Power Grid area reached 1,799.4 billion kilowatt-hours in 2025, surpassing 1.7 trillion kilowatt-hours for the first time, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.4%. Compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2020), this represents a growth of 37.8%. The electricity consumption growth in the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, as well as urban and rural residents, was 8.1%, 4.3%, 7.8%, and 6.3%, respectively.

Henan Province Electricity Consumption Statistics

On January 19, the Henan Energy Regulatory Office announced that in December 2025, the total electricity consumption in Henan Province was 37.205 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year decrease of 2.14%. The cumulative electricity consumption for the year reached 452.478 billion kilowatt-hours, up by 4.74%. The province’s electricity generation was 31.325 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year decrease of 4.34%, with a total annual generation of 389.196 billion kilowatt-hours, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 4.3%.

Shanxi Province Coal Mine Monitoring

On January 19, the Shanxi Bureau of the National Mine Safety Administration reported that the province continues to promote “no operation without monitoring” and the construction of “electronic fences,” enhancing the intrinsic safety of coal mines. To date, 96,000 video surveillance systems have been installed in coal mines, achieving intelligent AI recognition in 16,700 locations, and 24,000 electronic fences have been set up in hazardous areas such as underground excavation faces.

Jilin Province New Energy Capacity

On January 20, the State Grid Jilin Electric Power Company reported that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Jilin added 16.921 million kilowatts of wind and solar capacity, which is 3.6 times the scale added during the 13th Five-Year Plan. The new energy installed capacity has surpassed 50% of the province’s total installed capacity, surpassing thermal power to become the primary energy source in Jilin.