煤电效益面临多重挑战，专家建议充分发挥其调节性作用

Core Viewpoint - The coal power industry is facing a peak in demand, with coal power generation expected to reach its maximum capacity this year, potentially capped at 5.55 trillion kilowatt-hours [2][3]. Group 1: Coal Power Generation Trends - In the first half of this year, national coal power generation has declined, with a reported generation of 294 million kilowatt-hours in the first half of 2025, marking a year-on-year decrease of 2.41% [1][5]. - During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, coal power generation growth rates were around 1% in 2022 and 2024, compared to approximately 9% in 2021 and 7% in 2023 [1][5]. - The report indicates that the slowdown in overall electricity consumption growth and the rapid increase in renewable energy installations are primary factors contributing to the peak in coal power generation [3][4]. Group 2: Future Projections and Economic Factors - The report anticipates that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, electricity consumption growth will gradually converge with GDP growth rates, potentially even falling below GDP growth [3]. - It is projected that the increase in electricity consumption during the "15th Five-Year Plan" could still reach between 1.4 trillion to 1.7 trillion kilowatt-hours, which can be met by renewable energy installations [4]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Policy Changes - The introduction of market reforms for renewable energy pricing has led to a decrease in the revenue for solar power, with prices dropping from approximately 0.355 yuan per kilowatt-hour in 2022 to 0.325 yuan per kilowatt-hour in the first half of this year [6]. - Coal power plants are now required to participate more actively in market trading, with their pricing mechanisms still based on a "base price + fluctuations" model [7]. - The average coal consumption for power generation has significantly decreased, reaching 300.7 grams of standard coal per kilowatt-hour by June this year, a reduction of over 10 grams since 2016 [10]. Group 4: Role of Coal Power in the Energy Transition - As the penetration of renewable energy increases, coal power is evolving into a more flexible and regulatory power source to manage the intermittency and volatility of renewable energy [11]. - Experts suggest that the auxiliary service functions of coal power should be valued higher in the market, as the cost of integrating a larger share of low-cost renewable energy will require additional investments [11].