China mandates new math for counting green electricity, starting 2026
What happened
China's top planning agency just issued new rules for how to count electricity from non-fossil sources. Starting in 2026, every province and major power company must use this standard method to track green energy consumption.
Why it matters
How you count something determines what gets built and who pays. These new accounting rules mean China will have a standardized way to measure green electricity use across its vast grid. This is a foundational step for any future carbon market or green energy mandate, as it defines the baseline for compliance and incentives.
The signal
Watch for how quickly provinces and power companies adopt these new accounting methods, and whether the reported numbers for non-fossil energy consumption become more consistent across regions.