BEIJING - China's capacity for photovoltaic (PV) energy grew by 34 percent year-on-year in 2018.

Total installed PV capacity surpassed 170 gigawatts at the end of 2018, thanks to 43 gigawatts of capacity added over the year, according to the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.

The capacity amounted to over 9 percent of the country's power generation capacity in 2018, and curtailment of PV power generation declined to 5 percent from over 10 percent in 2015, according to the association.

China is taking the lead in PV development globally, with an internationally competitive and complete industrial chain.

By the end of 2020, renewable energy will supply 1.9 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, which is 27 percent of total power generation, according to the government's 2016-2020 plan for renewable energy.