China Reverses Course on Coal Power Plant Approvals After 2022-23 Surge Raises Climate Concerns

Approvals for new coal-fired power plants in China have dropped significantly in the first half of this year, following a permit surge in the past two years that raised climate change concerns. Greenpeace East Asia reports 14 new coal plants with a combined 10.3 gigawatts capacity were approved from January to June. This marks an 80% drop compared to the 50.4 gigawatts approved during the same period last year.

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China Takes the Lead in Global Solar and Wind Power Installations

Chinese authorities approved 90.7 gigawatts in 2022 and 106.4 gigawatts in 2023, a surge that raised alarm among climate experts. China a global leader in solar and wind power, still relies on coal plants for peak demand due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy. Recent government documents emphasize reducing carbon emissions and accelerating the shift to renewables.

In June, the National Energy Administration introduced a three-year plan to upgrade existing coal power units and incorporate low-carbon technologies into newly constructed plants.

Additionally, a new government plan issued this month aims to “accelerate the development of a new power system” by addressing bottlenecks and challenges, including the expansion of renewable energy transmission.

China is also looking to nuclear power as it seeks to meet its carbon reduction targets. On Monday, China’s State Council approved five nuclear power projects featuring 11 units and a total investment of 200 billion yuan ($28 billion).

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