China doubled the pace of adding renewable energy capacity in the first 10 months of the year as the government worked to cut pollution in its largest cities.

Including nuclear power, the nation installed 36 gigawatts of clean energy capacity in the 10 months through Oct. 31, the National Energy Administration said Thursday in a statement on its website. Wind power increased by 7.9 gigawatts, while solar rose 3.6 gigawatts and nuclear expanded 2.2 gigawatts. Hydro electric power accounted for the remainder.

The additions bolster China’s case that it’s tackling climate change by using less-polluting forms of energy in economy that has surpassed the U.S. as the biggest polluter. China is on course by 2035 to add more electricity generating capacity from renewables than the U.S., Europe and Japan combined, according to the International Energy Agency.

“The proportion of renewables in the total power capacity will keep rising before 2030 on government support and declining costs,” said Charlie Cao, an analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance in Beijing.

China has been the world’s biggest renewable energy market by cumulative installed capacity excluding nuclear power since 2011, according to data from BNEF.

via Fuel Fix » China doubles pace of adding renwables amid pollution cut.