#gaoyuhe — Public Fediverse posts
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#China is backing off #coal power plant approvals after a 2022-23 surge that alarmed #climate experts
Approvals for new coal-fired power plants have dropped sharply in China after a flurry of permits in the previous two years raised concern about the government’s commitment to limiting #ClimateChange
ByKEN MORITSUGU Associated Press
August 20, 2024BEIJING -- "Approvals for new coal-fired power plants in China dropped sharply in the first half of this year, according to an analysis released Tuesday, after a flurry of permits in the previous two years raised concern about the government's commitment to limiting climate change.
"A review of project documents by #GreenpeaceEastAsia found that 14 new coal plants were approved from January to June with a total capacity of 10.3 gigawatts, down 80% from 50.4 gigawatts in the first half of last year.
"Authorities approved 90.7 gigawatts in 2022 and 106.4 gigawatts in 2023, a surge that raised alarm among climate experts. China leads the world in #solar and #wind power installations but the government has said that coal plants are still needed for periods of peak demand because wind and solar power are less reliable. While China's grid gives priority to greener sources of energy, experts worry that it won't be easy for China to wean itself off coal once the new capacity is built.
"'We may now be seeing a turning point,' #GaoYuhe, the project lead for #Greenpeace East Asia, said in a statement. 'One question remains here. Are Chinese provinces slowing down coal approvals because they’ve already approved so many coal projects ...? Or are these the last gasps of #CoalPower in an energy transition that has seen coal become increasingly impractical? Only time can tell'."