Page 4 - AsiaElec Week 30 2022

AsiaElec COMMENTARY AsiaElec

Chinese coal-fired

capacity increases

CHINA In its continued reliance on coal, China has given authorities for this year meanwhile indicate that
the thumbs up to over 8.5 GW of new coal pow- a further 8.63 GW of new coal capacity was given
ered facilities in the first quarter of the year; a the green light between January and March.
number equal to almost half of all new coal pro- And whilst the move is being seen as a huge
jects throughout 2021. setback in China’s commitments to rein in over-
To many, the approvals are a seeming reversal all carbon emissions by environmental groups, it
of President Xi’s April 2021 pledge to have China is also being seen as Beijing looking to guarantee
“strictly control the expansion of coal power” increased energy security in the wake of sev-
and move towards phasing out coal altogether eral years of power cuts throughout the colder
from 2026. months.
Following President Xi’s comments in April The public face of government in China,
2021, figures released for the whole of last year though, remains committed to assurances by
saw approvals on new coal-fired installations Chinese energy authorities that emissions will
down a full 58% on 2020. peak by the end of the decade despite the recent
Throughout 2021, the increase in coal capacity surge in new projects.
across China reached 18.55 GW. According to Wu Jinghan, a climate and
A series of nationwide shortages since last energy campaigner at Greenpeace in the Chinese
September, however, saw 11 GW of new coal capital, “energy security has become a sort of
projects given the thumbs up in the fourth quar- code word for coal, rather than for reliable supply
ter alone. of energy”; a nod to the ease with which Beijing
Final first-quarter figures released by Chinese has moved to expansion of its coal programmes

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 30 27•July•2022