Boosting solar efficiency: the unforeseen benefit of China’s clean air action plan

Abstract China has been vigorously developing the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry to address climate change and air pollution. While aerosols constitute a significant air pollutant that impairs PV generation efficiency, few studies have examined how China’s clean air action (CAA) plan has influenced solar PV performance. To address this gap, we employ the PVLIB-Python model to quantify PV capacity factors and power generation changes across China, due to the CAA plan in China from 2013 to 2020. We find that improved air quality has substantially enhanced PV generation, particularly in eastern China, generating up to 41.3 TWh additional electricity per year, estimated with current PV capacity. The largest increases are in provinces such as Shandong and Henan, with heavier air pollution and higher PV installation. By employing multiple CMIP6 models, we also estimate potential future PV power generation changes in China. We find that with sustainable development and strong climate change mitigation policies, the reduced air pollution and increased solar radiation can potentially increase the PV power generation by 37.4–52.6 TWh per year by the 2050s, without even considering the newly installed PV facilities.