China is building more wind and solar capacity than the rest of the world combined: report. July 13, 2024

Solar panels in the Gobi desert in northern China. China has twice as much wind and solar power capacity under construction as the rest of the world combined (STR

By AFP - Agence France Presse

China is building more wind and solar capacity than the rest of the world combined: report.

By Matthew WALSH

China is building almost twice as much wind and solar power capacity as all other countries combined, according to research published on Thursday.

The world's second-largest economy is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases that drive climate change.

China has pledged to reduce carbon emissions to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060.

In recent months, the country has faced several waves of extreme weather conditions which, according to scientists, are becoming more severe due to climate change.

Currently, China has a total of 339 gigawatts (GW) of capacity under construction, including 159 GW of wind power and 180 GW of solar power.

This is "almost twice as much as the rest of the world combined", according to the study by Global Energy Monitor, a US-based NGO.

The figure far exceeds the nation in second place, the United States, which is building a total of just 40 GW, according to the report.

According to the report, China has already started building a third of the new wind and solar capacity announced so far, compared to a global average of just 7%.

"The stark contrast in construction rates illustrates the active nature of China's commitment to building renewable energy projects," said the study.

- 'Turning point?

Beijing's vast renewable energy construction has some drawbacks.

The national grid relies on highly polluting coal plants to cope with peak power demand.

In addition, it struggles to transmit the renewable energy generated in the remote northwestern regions to the economic and population centers in the east.

However, China's combined wind and solar power capacity is expected to overtake coal this year, according to the report.

The report states that the rapid expansion of renewable energy raises hopes that Beijing's carbon emissions will peak earlier than expected.

In a separate report released on Thursday, the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that China issued no new permits for coal-based steel projects in the first half of 2024.

CREA said this was the first time on a six-month basis that there had been no new permits since China announced its "dual carbon targets" in September 2020 - a development hailed as a possible "turning point" by the independent research organization.

"As China's steel demand peaks and more scrap becomes available, there is great potential to move away from coal-based production, which represents a significant opportunity for emissions reductions over the next 10 years," said the CREA report.

Scientists say that global warming is making extreme weather more frequent and intense.

China had a summer marked by scorching heat in the north and torrential rain in the south.

Its meteorological agency predicted last week that very high temperatures will persist in the coming weeks due to the impact of climate change.

The heavy rains in the east and south have also caused a series of deadly floods and landslides in recent weeks.

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