China continues to build huge coal projects
China continues to build huge coal projects
In 2023, the Chinese energy industry began building almost 100 gigawatts of new coal -fired power plant capacity, which has been the highest number of new buildings for almost a decade, as a report of two clean energy groups on Thursday unveiled.
concern about climate goals
This development raises concerns about the ability of the largest carbon dioxide issuer in the world to achieve its climate goals. In addition, it could endanger the massive expansion of China in the field of solar and wind energy, which has progressed far faster in recent years than in the USA and Europe.
overlay of renewable energies
The report states: "Instead of coal, clean energies are initially also based on a permanently anchored reliance on fossil fuels." This assessment was created as part of a semi-annual review of China's coal projects by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, based in Europe, as well as the US Global Energy Monitor.
new buildings and re -recorded projects
In 2024, 94.5 gigawatts of coal -fired power plant capacities were newly under construction - more than every year since 2015.
further capacity expansion in the next few years
"A significant number of new power plants will be put into operation over the next 2-3 years, which will further consolidate the role of coal in the energy system," predicts the report.
displacement of renewable energies
The fears are that the carbon could displace the capacity of solar and wind turbines. According to the report, the generation of electricity from fossil fuels remained high in the last three months of 2024, while the utilization of solar and wind power decreased.
increased permits for coal -fired power plants
The new construction activity was a result of the increase in permits for coal -powered power plants in the years 2022 and 2023, explained Qi Qin, analyst for China at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
demands for a construction stop
"We ask China to deal with the construction of already approved coal -fired power plants in order to avoid further overcapacity, to reduce emissions and to behave in accordance with its climate obligations," she said.
climate goals Chinas
The Chinese President Xi Jinping announced two climate goals in 2020: the highlight of carbon emissions by 2030 and the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2060. Analysts believe that China's carbon emissions may have already reached their peak and the next challenge is to start with the reduction.
missed deadlines
China was one of the many countries that missed a UN period this week to submit a national plan to reduce emissions by 2035. The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, said the government was working on a plan and would submit it "in due course this year".
global coal construction projects
According to the report of the two clean energy groups, China made up 93% of the global construction work for coal -fired power plants last year. Suggestions for new or reactivated coal -powered projects in China fell to 68.9 gigawatts last year, compared to over 100 gigawatts in the two previous years, which indicates that the new buildings could possibly go back.
approved coal power capacity
The amount of new coal power capacity, which was approved in China last year, also fell to 66.7 gigawatts after it rose sharply in 2022-2023.