
Credit: Peter Beukema/Unsplash
12 July 2024
China leads global wind and solar project construction
China is constructing nearly double the wind and solar power of the rest of the world combined, according to a new report.
Amy Hawkins reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- China has 339GW of wind and solar power under construction, compared to 40GW in the US.
- By 2024, China will reach 1,200GW of installed wind and solar capacity, six years ahead of schedule.
- Despite renewable growth, China’s coal consumption and new coal plant approvals continue to rise.
Key quote:
“It is obviously important for China to keep on adding more renewable energy to meet its targets. But it’s not as simple as you just keep building and it will be solved … [because] there is no sign that the country is trying to steer away from its coal consumption.”
— Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Policy Institute
Why this matters:
China's rapid renewable energy expansion sets a global precedent, but rising coal use and geopolitical tensions challenge its environmental goals.