China plans to be climate-neutral by 2060 – at the same time, the People’s Republic continues to rely heavily on coal. According to a study, in the first half of this year alone, two power plant units per week were approved on average.
The coal boom in China is unbroken. Authorities in the People’s Republic approved new coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 52 gigawatts in the first half of this year. That corresponds to two power plant blocks per week, according to the analysis by the think tanks CREA in Finland and Global Energy Monitor in the USA.
Last year, China pushed ahead with the expansion of coal-fired power generation. The reason for this is, among other things, shortages in the power supply in recent years. All in all, coal-fired power plants with a total output of over 240 gigawatts are currently under construction or approved.
Biggest Producer more harmful to the climate greenhouse gases
China is the world’s largest producer of climate-damaging greenhouse gases, but is committed to the Paris climate protection goals. The People’s Republic wants to have its CO2 emissions peak by 2030 and become climate-neutral by 2060.
However, the current power plant boom could lead to a massive increase in emissions and further cement China’s dependence on coal, the study’s authors warn. Achieving its own climate protection goals will become more difficult and expensive for China.
Half of the energy needs from coal
More than half of China’s energy needs are currently covered by coal-fired power plants. At the same time, the People’s Republic is investing massively in renewable energies. According to official information, new coal-fired power plants should primarily guarantee the security and stability of the power supply.
However, many new power plants are being built in regions that already have “more than enough” coal-fired power, as the study states. The authors criticize the fact that the requirements of the central government in Beijing are simply not being implemented in many regions.