China has started construction of 94.5 GW of coal-fired power plants in 2024, the largest volume of such new buildings since 2015.
This is reported by Reuters, citing data from a report published by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) think tank.
The authors note that such a step hinders the country's transition away from fossil fuels.
“If coal maintains a high share of China's energy system for too long, it will be much more difficult to achieve rapid emissions reductions. This, in turn, could pose challenges for global climate efforts, especially at a time when countries are expected to increase their ambitions for the 2035 targets,” says CREA researcher and lead author Qi Qin.
What is the reason for this construction boom?
The researchers attribute the surge in new construction to China's concerns about electricity shortages and planned restrictions. They have led to a sharp increase in the number of new projects since 2023.
The fact is that China has pledged to start reducing its coal use during its five-year plan for 2026-2030, as it aims to peak emissions by the end of the decade. According to Qi, the country's current drive to build new coal-fired power plants is primarily driven by industry interests that “promote coal expansion under the banner of energy security.”
“These groups recognize the constraints imposed by the 2030 carbon peak and 2060 carbon neutrality targets and are moving quickly to ensure growth before the window narrows,” the researcher said.
Coal vs. renewable energy sources (RES)
The report notes that the peak in construction of coal-fired power plants is observed despite a record increase in renewable energy capacity last year. According to analysts, it may complicate the connection of clean energy to the grid.
According to China's energy regulator, over the past decade, the country has decommissioned more than 100 GW of outdated coal-fired power plants, and new projects can only be built to provide backup renewable energy capacity.
Analysts note that last year, China commissioned 356 GW of wind and solar power plants and achieved its goal of 1200 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. At the same time, experts say that renewable energy sources are trying to compete for a place in the Chinese energy system, as their utilization rate fell sharply at the end of last year.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, China has become the undisputed leader among the world's countries in the construction of wind and solar power plants.
