“China Energy Group, the country's biggest power generator, will add more than 6 gigawatts (GW) of new ultra-low emission coal-fired capacity this year as it bids to meet growing electricity demand, a senior official with the firm said on Thursday.
The company also expected to build another 5 GW of low-emission capacity next year, Xiao Jianying, the head of the state-run firm's coal-fired power department, told Reuters.
China aims to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a peak by "around 2030" and raise the share of non-fossil fuels in its total energy mix to 20% by the end of the next decade, up from 15% in 2020. Those targets could be strengthened next year.
But it has been under fire for allowing large numbers of new coal-fired power plants. An academic study published in March said China restarted construction on more than 50 GW of suspended coal power plants last year.
China uses ultra-low emissions technology at about 80% of its total coal-fired capacity. The technology cuts smog particles down to a minimum, but does little to curb climate-warming carbon emissions.”
For comparison, from 2006 to 2017, 55.6 GW of capacity were retired in the US. One utility in China will build 61 GW in the near future.
The company also expected to build another 5 GW of low-emission capacity next year, Xiao Jianying, the head of the state-run firm's coal-fired power department, told Reuters.
China aims to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a peak by "around 2030" and raise the share of non-fossil fuels in its total energy mix to 20% by the end of the next decade, up from 15% in 2020. Those targets could be strengthened next year.
But it has been under fire for allowing large numbers of new coal-fired power plants. An academic study published in March said China restarted construction on more than 50 GW of suspended coal power plants last year.
China uses ultra-low emissions technology at about 80% of its total coal-fired capacity. The technology cuts smog particles down to a minimum, but does little to curb climate-warming carbon emissions.”
For comparison, from 2006 to 2017, 55.6 GW of capacity were retired in the US. One utility in China will build 61 GW in the near future.
