China, the largest worldwide consumer of solar photovoltaic electricity, is losing a big portion of its solar energy production to air pollution, a recent study by Nature found.
China had 130 gigawatts of installed capacity in 2017 and is on track to reach 400 gigawatts by 2030.
However, looking at data from 119 stations across China, researchers found the solar photovoltaic potential has decreased on average by 11 percent to 15 percent from 1960 to 2015.
The country would need to revert back to its 1960s solar radiation levels to make up for the solar photovoltaic energy it is losing to fossil fuels. Strict air pollution control measures, combined with reduced fossil fuel consumption could result in a 12 percent to 13 percent increase in electricity generation. In terms of money, this could yield economic gains equivalent to $1.9 billion in 2016 and $4.6 billion to $6.7 billion in 2030.
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