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| Photo: UNEP |
“China’s Green Long March: A Study of Renewable Energy, Environmental Industry and Cement Sectors” notes that the country has a strong policy framework in place to support a national transition to a green economy.
For example, incentives, such as feed-in-tariffs, subsidies and tax advantages, already exist and are helping stimulate green investment, as are strict regulations to help phase out inefficient plants, halt water pollution and improve waste management.
The country is also a global leader in renewable energy technology investment, UNEP says in a news release. In 2012 alone, China’s renewable energy investment totalled $67.7 billion – the highest in the world and double the amount it invested in 2009.
At the same time, the joint report released this week by UNEP and China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection points out that the country is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 27 per cent of the total emissions in 2012.
Also, while its gross domestic product (GDP) accounts for 10 per cent of the global output, it consumes 60 per cent of the world’s cement, 49 per cent of the iron and steel, and 20 per cent of the energy.
In addition, local pollution, particularly to air and water, is putting a strain on China’s economic growth. It is estimated that 90 per cent of the country’s urban water bodies are polluted, and outdoor pollution is estimated to contribute to 1.2 million premature deaths per year.
As China continues its urbanization, the report finds that the country “should not only develop more energy efficient buildings, but also create greener supply chains that reduce waste generation, water and material consumption, and energy use,” states UNEP.
Currently, buildings account for as much as one-third of global greenhouse gases, thus greening the building sector supply chain could be a key opportunity for the country, the agency says.
Among other findings, the report says there is a major technology gap between Chinese firms and their international competitors.
un.org
27/11/13
China – New global leader in renewable energy ...
ReplyDeleteChina has become the world leader in the solar energy segment of renewable energy. This is not an unexpected report since China has long maintained the leadership in the production of photovoltaic installations. After the U.S. and the EU set up protective barriers, China reoriented its products to the internal market.
Last year, China installed solar batteries with an overall capacity of 12 GW. This is more than what was installed in any other country per year. This is also an internal record. The capacity of solar installations commissioned by China in the past years was less than that of 2013.
At present, China is becoming a leader in practically in all areas in the development of renewable energy, says Alexei Gromov, the director of the energy department of the Institute of Energy and Finance.
“Some time ago, it was reported that China joined the troika of leaders which produce and put into service wind power plants. At present, China is making a breakthrough in solar energy. However, the scale of the Chinese economy does not allow making forecasts that in the next ten years, solar energy will occupy a significant share in the country’s energy resources. Most likely, it will be a subsidiary energy source. China will use this opportunity first and foremost to meet the demands of the photovoltaic installations making industry,” Gromov said.
After becoming the leader, China will not allow any country to surpass it in this segment. In 2015, it plans to increase the capacity of solar power plants up to 35GW. Despite of the big leap, it’s wrongful to talk about the Chinese “revolution in solar power generation”, says Gromov.........Read more: http://indian.ruvr.ru/2014_02_05/China-renewable-energy/
5/2/14