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.