Draft Amendment to China's Renewable Energy Law Submitted for First Review on November 2

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 2, the draft amendment to the Renewable Energy Law of the People's Republic of China was submitted for initial deliberation at the 25th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress. The draft amendment comprises 10 chapters and 76 articles, an increase of 2 chapters and 43 articles compared with the 8 chapters and 33 articles of the current law. It is intended to improve systems governing renewable energy development and construction, production and transmission, market trading, pricing mechanisms, and electricity consumption.

The current Renewable Energy Law was adopted in 2005 and amended in 2009, setting out provisions on renewable energy development and utilization targets, resource surveys, development plans, industry guidance, technical support, and promotion and application. At the project construction stage, the current law requires grid-connected renewable energy power generation projects to obtain administrative licensing or complete filing procedures in accordance with the law. This amendment identifies strengthening development and construction management and improving resource survey and development planning systems as key priorities.

With respect to electricity production and price management, Article 14 of the current law provides for the full guaranteed purchase system for renewable energy power generation, Article 19 sets out the mechanism for determining feed-in tariffs for renewable energy, and Article 20 provides for related cost compensation arrangements. The draft amendment proposes strengthening the management of renewable energy production and transmission, and includes improving market trading and pricing mechanisms among its main revisions.

With respect to electricity consumption, the current law already specifies the obligation of grid enterprises to purchase renewable energy electricity. The Energy Law of the People's Republic of China, effective in 2025, further provides that power supply enterprises, electricity sales enterprises, relevant electricity users, and other entities bear corresponding consumption responsibilities; supporting measures effective from August 1, 2026, established a minimum renewable energy consumption share target system. The draft amendment identifies strengthening consumption responsibilities and promoting consumption as key priorities.

The draft amendment also proposes improving systems for scientific and technological innovation and industrial development, safeguards and supervision, and legal liability, and adjusts the legislative purpose and related requirements. The draft is currently at the stage of initial deliberation, and specific institutional arrangements remain subject to subsequent deliberation by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the final adopted legal text.