China Looks to Solar, Wind, Geothermal and green fuels

If it wasn't for the misguided inclusion of nuclear power as "green", China's plan for clean energy production would be highly commendable; still, they are facing major hurdles created by growth and pollution, and are proposing and developing a myriad of green power technology solutions to tackle these requirements.

The following article on alternative energy in China was posted today April 20,2009 to the Wall Street Journal Environmental Capital Blog:


Behind the Green Wall: China’s Clean-Energy Challenge

Posted by Keith Johnson

Does China illustrate the promise of clean energy or the Sisyphean task it faces? Put another way, will the U.S. crib from China, or will it be the other way around?

China is undoubtedly plowing ahead with its green revolution. As noted in a new report by the Center for American Progress, China is spending $12.6 million every hour on “green” stimulus plans. That amounts to about $220 billion over the next two years—roughly twice as much as the U.S. has earmarked for clean-energy stuff in the same period. Since the Chinese economy is smaller, its green bet is proportionally much bigger.

The green milestones are coming fast and furious. Beijing finally acknowledged a badly-kept secret and announced that China’s official wind power goal for 2020 is now 100 gigawatts, more than three times the previous official target. (The whole world today has 120 gigawatts of wind power; China has 12 gigawatts.)

If nuclear power is considered green—since it doesn’t emit greenhouse gases—chalk up another: China plans to fast-track the construction of five new, third-generation nuclear plants and make them operational in record time. China now aims for at least 60 gigawatts of nuclear power, up from 9 gigawatts today.

Full online article about clean energy industry in China 2009

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