2024-07-23 08:18:07
China continues to be the world leader in renewable energy growth, according to a new report from the US think tank Global Energy Monitor (GEM), published on July 11, Day.Az reports.
According to the report, solar power plants with a capacity of 180 gigawatts (GW) and wind power plants with a capacity of 15 GW are currently under construction in China, AZERTAC reports with reference to foreign media.
That brings the country’s total wind and solar capacity, including those under construction, to a staggering 339 gigawatts, nearly twice as much as the rest of the world combined, Reuters reports. The United States, which ranks second, has just 40 gigawatts of such capacity, the article says.
Almost two-thirds of the large wind and solar plants under construction worldwide are in China. Growing renewable capacity has reduced the country’s share of coal to new lows. China’s growth rate makes the global target of tripling renewables by the end of 2030 “well within reach” even without increasing hydropower, the report says.
The rapid growth of electricity production from renewable energy sources (RES) in China in recent years has also been facilitated by government support. State policy in this area is aimed at turning “green” energy into a key factor in the development of the national economy.
The scale of China’s renewable energy development is impressive, according to Interesting Engineering. Between March 2023 and March 2024, China produced more solar power than in the previous three years combined, and more than the rest of the world combined in 2023.
GEM analysts predict that China is on track to reach 1,200 GW of installed wind and solar capacity by the end of 2024, six years earlier than previously planned.
“The unabated pace of construction suggests that China will continue to lead in wind and solar power in the near future, far ahead of the rest of the world,” the report said.
At the same time, analysts warn that China will need to make even greater use of renewable energy to meet its ambitious target of cutting carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 18 percent.
The country’s renewable energy boom is facing a lack of suitable infrastructure, GEM analyst Aiqun Yu told Reuters. China’s power grid is still heavily reliant on coal and more rapid development of transmission lines is needed, she said.
Global Energy Monitor, a non-governmental organization headquartered in San Francisco, collects and analyzes data on energy infrastructure, resources, and their use.
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