China nearly doubles world's wind and solar capacity: Report

China dominates wind and solar buildout, surpassing the rest of the world combined by nearly double, according to a new study, published Thursday (Jul 11).

China, the world's second-largest economy, is also the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases linked to climate change.

China has committed to bring carbon emissions to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060.

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It has undergone several waves of extreme weather in recent months that scientists believe are rendered more severe by climate change.

China at present has a total of 339 gigawatts (GW) of capacity under construction, including 159 GW of wind and 180 GW of solar.

According to a study by Global Energy Monitor, a US-based NGO, this is "nearly twice as much as the rest of the world combined." 

The report also indicated that this figure significantly surpasses that of the second-ranked nation, the United States, which is constructing only 40 GW.

China has broken ground on a third of the new wind and solar capacity it has announced to date, compared to a global average of just seven per cent, the report further said.

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"The stark contrast in construction rates illustrates the active nature of China's commitment to building renewables projects," the study said.

China's huge renewable energy buildout does have some drawbacks.

The national grid relies on heavily polluting coal plants to handle surges in power demand. Additionally, it faces challenges in transmitting renewable energy generated in the remote northwestern regions to the economic and population centres in the east.

However, China's combined wind and solar capacity is set to overtake coal this year, as per the report.

The speedy renewables expansion raises hopes that Beijing's carbon emissions will peak even sooner than expected.

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In a separate report released on Thursday, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed that China did not issue any new permits for coal-based steelmaking projects in the first half of 2024.

CREA said that was the first time on a half-yearly basis that there have been no new permits since China announced its "dual carbon goals" in September 2020.

China's steel industry is poised for a green transformation. A peak in steel demand coupled with increasing scrap availability creates a prime opportunity to move away from polluting coal-based production. This shift could significantly reduce emissions over the next decade, according to a report by CREA.

Scientists say global warming makes extreme weather more frequent and intense.