Page 366 - 2021 White Paper
P. 366
1 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
projects and cut spending in 2020. So perhaps the industrial activity after growth turned negative in
biggest threat comes from elsewhere in China’s the first quarter of 2020 for the first time in more
clean energy stable. The nation’s growing expertise than 40 years. Infrastructure stimulus has helped
and emphasis on solar and wind power, and the push steel production to record levels this year at a
chunky up-front costs for nuclear and its troubled time when output from other big producer nations
safety record, suggest that if atomic energy does has fallen. China pledged to reach a peak of carbon
end up taking a backseat, it could be due to the emissions by 2030 as part of the Paris climate
broader success of renewable energy (Bloomberg, change agreement. In 2016, the government
China to Dominate). suspended construction of hundreds of coal plants
as the country grappled with overcapacity and
Coal-fired Power pollution. But many of the projects were restarted
as economic growth slowed (Hale).
China, the world’s biggest annual greenhouse
gas emitter, continues to dominate coal power Works Cited
development, having built nearly two-thirds of
the world’s operating plants and being home to Ambrose, Jillian. “China Poised to Power Huge
almost 90% of generators under construction. It Growth in Global Offshore Wind Energy.” The
is home to half the world’s operating coal-fired Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 Aug. 2020,
electricity capacity. But the amount of coal power www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/05/
commissioned in China at the end of June 2020 was china-poised-to-power-huge-growth-in-global-
more than 40% below the same stage last year – offshore-wind-energy.
19.4 gigawatts compared with 11.4GWs – because
of the coronavirus pandemic. China had a glut of Bellini, Emiliano. “World's Largest Solar Plant Goes
coal-fired power capacity, with fleets running at
barely half capacity before the pandemic struck. Online in China.” Pv Magazine International, 1 Oct.
Despite this, Chinese provinces were granting
permits for construction at the highest rate since 2020, www.pv-magazine.com/2020/10/01/worlds-
2016 (Morton).
largest-solar-plant-goes-online-in-china/.
New coal plant projects proposed in China in
2020 would add more than 40GW to the country’s Bloomberg. “China to Dominate Nuclear Power
power supply, according to new data — comparable as Beijing Bets on Homegrown Reactors.” The
to the entire existing fleet of South Africa. The news Japan Times, 2 June 2020, www.japantimes.co.jp/
will fuel concerns that urgent efforts to stimulate news/2020/06/02/business/china-nuclear-power-
economies devastated by virus lockdowns will homegrown-reactors/.
push global emissions to levels higher than those
recorded before Covid-19. Survey data from the Bloomberg. “China's Mega-Dams Are Giving Way
Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research to Cheaper Renewable Energy.” China News | Al
on Energy and Clean Air also show that China Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 6 July 2020, www.aljazeera.com/
approved the construction of more coal power economy/2020/7/6/chinas-mega-dams-are-giving-
plant capacity in the period to mid-June than in all way-to-cheaper-renewable-energy.
of 2018 and 2019 combined. China’s energy policy
will be crucial to determining the success of the Cision. “Chinese Solar Power Market Outlook
Paris climate agreement, which aims to limit global 2020-2025 and the Impact of COVID-19 on the
warming to less than 2C. The new coal plants, often Industry.” PR Newswire: News Distribution, Targeting
used by regional and provincial governments as and Monitoring, 31 July 2020, www.prnewswire.com/
a means to stimulate their economies, threatens news-releases/chinese-solar-power-market-outlook-
to compromise environmental targets set by 2020-2025-and-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-
China’s central government. A boom in coal plant industry-301103879.html.
approvals comes against the backdrop of rising
366
projects and cut spending in 2020. So perhaps the industrial activity after growth turned negative in
biggest threat comes from elsewhere in China’s the first quarter of 2020 for the first time in more
clean energy stable. The nation’s growing expertise than 40 years. Infrastructure stimulus has helped
and emphasis on solar and wind power, and the push steel production to record levels this year at a
chunky up-front costs for nuclear and its troubled time when output from other big producer nations
safety record, suggest that if atomic energy does has fallen. China pledged to reach a peak of carbon
end up taking a backseat, it could be due to the emissions by 2030 as part of the Paris climate
broader success of renewable energy (Bloomberg, change agreement. In 2016, the government
China to Dominate). suspended construction of hundreds of coal plants
as the country grappled with overcapacity and
Coal-fired Power pollution. But many of the projects were restarted
as economic growth slowed (Hale).
China, the world’s biggest annual greenhouse
gas emitter, continues to dominate coal power Works Cited
development, having built nearly two-thirds of
the world’s operating plants and being home to Ambrose, Jillian. “China Poised to Power Huge
almost 90% of generators under construction. It Growth in Global Offshore Wind Energy.” The
is home to half the world’s operating coal-fired Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 Aug. 2020,
electricity capacity. But the amount of coal power www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/05/
commissioned in China at the end of June 2020 was china-poised-to-power-huge-growth-in-global-
more than 40% below the same stage last year – offshore-wind-energy.
19.4 gigawatts compared with 11.4GWs – because
of the coronavirus pandemic. China had a glut of Bellini, Emiliano. “World's Largest Solar Plant Goes
coal-fired power capacity, with fleets running at
barely half capacity before the pandemic struck. Online in China.” Pv Magazine International, 1 Oct.
Despite this, Chinese provinces were granting
permits for construction at the highest rate since 2020, www.pv-magazine.com/2020/10/01/worlds-
2016 (Morton).
largest-solar-plant-goes-online-in-china/.
New coal plant projects proposed in China in
2020 would add more than 40GW to the country’s Bloomberg. “China to Dominate Nuclear Power
power supply, according to new data — comparable as Beijing Bets on Homegrown Reactors.” The
to the entire existing fleet of South Africa. The news Japan Times, 2 June 2020, www.japantimes.co.jp/
will fuel concerns that urgent efforts to stimulate news/2020/06/02/business/china-nuclear-power-
economies devastated by virus lockdowns will homegrown-reactors/.
push global emissions to levels higher than those
recorded before Covid-19. Survey data from the Bloomberg. “China's Mega-Dams Are Giving Way
Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research to Cheaper Renewable Energy.” China News | Al
on Energy and Clean Air also show that China Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 6 July 2020, www.aljazeera.com/
approved the construction of more coal power economy/2020/7/6/chinas-mega-dams-are-giving-
plant capacity in the period to mid-June than in all way-to-cheaper-renewable-energy.
of 2018 and 2019 combined. China’s energy policy
will be crucial to determining the success of the Cision. “Chinese Solar Power Market Outlook
Paris climate agreement, which aims to limit global 2020-2025 and the Impact of COVID-19 on the
warming to less than 2C. The new coal plants, often Industry.” PR Newswire: News Distribution, Targeting
used by regional and provincial governments as and Monitoring, 31 July 2020, www.prnewswire.com/
a means to stimulate their economies, threatens news-releases/chinese-solar-power-market-outlook-
to compromise environmental targets set by 2020-2025-and-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-
China’s central government. A boom in coal plant industry-301103879.html.
approvals comes against the backdrop of rising
366
