A systems-oriented review of China’s wind and solar power development toward carbon neutrality

Wind and solar power are central to China’s carbon neutrality strategy and energy system transformation. This review adopts a system-oriented perspective to examine the future development of wind, photovoltaic (PV), and concentrated solar power (CSP), situating technological progress within a broader framework that includes forecasting approaches, power system flexibility, energy storage integration, and sectoral coupling. It summarizes the spatial potential and projected capacity trajectories under carbon neutrality goals, with estimates suggesting a combined capacity of 5,496 to 7,662 GW of wind and solar power by 2060, constituting more than 83% of China’s total installed power capacity. While notable progress has been made in technological maturity and the reduction of power generation costs, supported by robust domestic supply chains, persistent challenges remain across technical and systemic dimensions, including limited generation efficiency, the high cost of supporting energy storage technologies, and constraints on grid flexibility and policy coordination. This review further proposes a strategic roadmap for sustainable development, emphasizing the integrated deployment of wind and solar as the dominant sources of power generation.