TL;DR
China accounted for more than half of the world’s new wind and solar capacity last year, with an especially intense surge in May. Photographer Weimin Chu used drones over three years to document large-scale installations from crowded cities to remote deserts, producing an exhibition of aerial images.
What happened
New aerial photography highlights the rapid expansion of wind and solar infrastructure across China. According to the report, China contributed over half of global additions in wind and solar last year; in May alone the country deployed enough renewable capacity to power Poland, with solar panels going up at an estimated rate of roughly 100 per second. Photographer Weimin Chu spent three years shooting power plants from the air, using drones to capture the geometric patterns and landscapes shaped by turbines and rows of panels. His images, influenced by the visual language of traditional Chinese ink painting, were shown in an award-winning exhibit presented by Greenpeace. Chu says he first noticed the trend while shooting landscapes and, after visits in 2022 to provinces including Guizhou, Yunnan and Qinghai, began documenting the installations systematically. The photo set ranges from rooftop arrays in eastern cities to massive farms in western deserts and coastal tidal-flat projects.
Why it matters
- China’s outsized share of new capacity affects global renewable energy deployment statistics and market dynamics.
- The pace of installations underscores challenges for grid integration, storage, and transmission planning.
- Large-scale projects reshape landscapes and local land uses, raising questions about siting and environmental trade-offs.
- Systematic visual documentation helps policymakers, researchers, and the public assess the scale and distribution of buildout.
Key facts
- China installed more than half of all wind and solar capacity added globally last year.
- In May, China added enough renewable energy capacity to power Poland.
- Solar panels were being installed at a reported rate of roughly 100 units per second during that surge.
- Photographer Weimin Chu spent three years photographing power plants from above using drones.
- Chu’s aerial work draws on the visual language of traditional Chinese ink painting.
- His project was featured in an award-winning exhibition presented by Greenpeace.
- Chu began documenting renewables more deliberately after trips in 2022 to Guizhou, Yunnan, and Qinghai provinces.
- The imagery covers diverse settings: rooftop solar in eastern cities, wind farms in western deserts, tidal-flat solar, and installations near cultural and natural sites.
What to watch next
- Whether China sustains this level of annual additions and how that will affect global renewable markets (not confirmed in the source).
- Developments in grid upgrades, energy storage, and transmission needed to integrate rapidly added capacity (not confirmed in the source).
- Further projects or exhibitions by Weimin Chu documenting the buildout over time (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Photovoltaic (PV) solar: Technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials in panels.
- Wind farm: A group of wind turbines installed in the same location to generate electricity from wind energy.
- Drone photography: Aerial imaging captured using remotely piloted aircraft, useful for large-scale landscape documentation.
- Rooftop solar: Photovoltaic panels installed on building roofs to generate electricity close to consumption points.
- Tidal-flat solar: Solar installations built on coastal flats or nearshore areas, often requiring special foundations or siting considerations.
Reader FAQ
How much of the world's new wind and solar did China add?
The source reports China installed more than half of global additions in wind and solar last year.
How fast did China install solar panels during the surge in May?
The report cites an installation rate of roughly 100 solar panels per second during that period.
Who documented these projects and how?
Photographer Weimin Chu spent three years using drones to photograph wind and solar installations from overhead; his work was shown in an exhibition presented by Greenpeace.
Does the piece evaluate environmental impacts or policy implications?
Not confirmed in the source.
E360 DIGEST JANUARY 13, 2026 Photos Capture the Breathtaking Scale of China’s Wind and Solar Buildout A wind farm near the Heidu Mountain Scenic Area in Qinghai Province. WEIMIN CHU…
Sources
- Photos Capture the Breathtaking Scale of China's Wind and Solar Buildout
- Aerial photos reveal China's 'carpet-like' project blanketing …
- Photos: The Scale of China's Solar-Power Projects
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