I came across this news from techxplore.com that new data compiled by the NGO Global Energy Monitor details the truly astonishing dominance that China has been able to build in the construction of large-scale wind and solar projects, as the chart above shows.
With a total capacity of 180 GW of utility-scale solar and 159 GW of wind currently under construction, this approx. twice the power of all other similar projects in the rest of the world combined — and almost as large a range as what we, the US, in distant second place, are currently building!
More information from the GEM report:
China added almost twice as much utility-scale solar and wind power in 2023 as in any other year. In the first quarter of 2024, China’s total utility-scale solar and wind capacity reached 758 GW, although data from the China Electricity Board put the total capacity, including distributed solar, at 1,120 GW. Wind and solar power currently account for 37% of the country’s total electricity generation, an 8% increase from 2022, and are expected to surpass coal power, which accounts for 39% of total capacity, in 2024.
Even more impressive:
In a separate report released on Thursday, the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research (CREA) found that China will not issue new permits for coal-based steelmaking projects in the first half of 2024.
CREA said there were no new permits on a half-yearly basis for the first time since China announced its “dual carbon targets” in September 2020 – a development hailed by the independent research organization as a possible “tipping point”.
“As China’s steel demand peaks and more scrap becomes available, there is great potential to move away from coal-based generation, a significant opportunity to reduce emissions over the next 10 years,” CREA’s report said.
Indeed, China is still the largest emitter of greenhouse gases:
Looking ahead, if all proposed utility-scale solar and wind projects come online
projected, China could easily reach 1,200 GW of installed wind and solar capacity
The end of 2024, six years and one year ahead of the promise made by President Xi Jinping
Earlier than GEM’s forecast last year.
…
The potential developed in China provides a huge amount of potential
further evidence for the prediction that energy sector carbon emissions may peak
Sooner than the promised “by 2030” timeline. In fact, the May 2024 study
Lauri Myllyvirta, senior fellow and lead analyst at the Asia Public Policy Institute
The Center for Energy and Clean Air Research suggests so China’s total CO2
emissions may already peak in 2023, accounts for 90% of the electricity demand
increases have been offset by wind and solar generation as well as declines
housing construction activity.
If true, this would be a huge step towards China’s ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2060 – if only the rest of the world could follow their example!