China is the biggest installer of renewable energy in the world as well as the largest global manufacturer of renewable energy technology. However, it is also the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and, most unfortunately, the biggest user of coal.
Coal is the only fossil fuel that China is not obliged to import. It has an abundant supply of coal, making coal a critical element of the country’s energy security. In addition, coal-producing Chinese provinces want to preserve jobs and local economies. China has the largest electricity system in the world and power generation is under the control of provincial governments. Provincial governments are more concerned with a steady supply of electricity than with controlling emissions.
China has aggressive climate goals including peaking its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2060. Meeting these goals is increasingly difficult as electricity demand continues to grow. In 2015, coal generated 69% of China’s primary energy. By 2024, it was down to 56% but there is still a long way to go. China still consumes 40% more coal than the rest of the world combined.
The situation would be far worse if not for China’s impressive growth in renewable energy. The record amounts of solar and wind power being installed are largely meeting the increasing demand for electricity, but the continued addiction to coal is preventing China from significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Despite its role as a renewable energy superpower, China’s energy system is still dominated by coal.
