China Leads World With Growth In Solar And Wind Power
The Guardian Weekly|July 19, 2024
The amount of wind and solar power under construction in China is now nearly twice as much as the rest of the world combined, according to a new report.
Amy Hawkins
China Leads World With Growth In Solar And Wind Power

Research published last Thursday by Global Energy Monitor (GEM), an NGO, found that China has 180 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar power under construction and 159GW of wind power. That brings the total of wind and solar power under construction to 339GW, well ahead of the 40GW under construction in the US. The researchers only looked at solar farms with a capacity of 20MW or more, which feed directly into the grid, meaning the total amount could be much higher, as small farms account for about 40% of China's solar capacity.

The findings underscore China's leading position in global renewable energy production at a time when the US is increasingly worried about Chinese overcapacity and dumping, particularly in the solar industry.

China has experienced a boom in renewables in recent years, encouraged by strong government support.

Xi Jinping, China's president, has stressed the need for "new quality productive forces", a slogan that signifies a desire to pivot China's economy towards technology and innovation.

Xi has said that "new quality productive forces" include strengthening green manufacturing.

This story is from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GUARDIAN WEEKLYView All
FROM DOCTOR TO BRUTAL DICTATOR THE RISE AND FALL OF ASSAD
The Guardian Weekly

FROM DOCTOR TO BRUTAL DICTATOR THE RISE AND FALL OF ASSAD

0N THE FACE OF IT AT LEAST, the Bashar al-Assad of 2002 presented a starkly different figure from the brutal autocrat he would become, presiding over a fragile state founded on torture, imprisonment and industrial murder.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 13, 2024
What fresh alternatives can be used to placate coriander haters?
The Guardian Weekly

What fresh alternatives can be used to placate coriander haters?

Everyone knows a hater of coriander - also known as cilantro - who won't go near the stuff. Itamar Srulovich, however, is not one: \"I adore fresh coriander, and always have,\" says the chef/co-owner of the Honey & Co group in London.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 13, 2024
Farage is lying in wait.Britain cannot afford to see Starmer fail Jonathan Freedland
The Guardian Weekly

Farage is lying in wait.Britain cannot afford to see Starmer fail Jonathan Freedland

This government must not fail. Let's get that clear from the start. If Keir Starmer does not succeed, too many British voters will conclude that both the traditional parties, Labour and Conservative, have proved useless and that it is time to try something else with that something else being nationalist populism.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 13, 2024
Compromise may be Macron's only hope of restoring confidence Paul Taylor
The Guardian Weekly

Compromise may be Macron's only hope of restoring confidence Paul Taylor

Having failed to solve France's political crisis with a prime minister dependent on the far right, President Emmanuel Macron is exploring a deal with the Socialist party (PS) to give the country a new government, pass an overdue budget and avert financial turmoil.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 13, 2024
It's a sad story for us all that fewer children are reading for pleasure Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
The Guardian Weekly

It's a sad story for us all that fewer children are reading for pleasure Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

On the shelf in my son's bedroom is a row of picture books that once belonged to me.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 13, 2024
The Guardian Weekly

'Gun control is dead, and we killed it'

Blueprints for 3D-printed weapons are increasingly being used by far-right extremists to evade gun control laws. So what can be done?

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 13, 2024
Help support the victims of conflict in a volatile world
The Guardian Weekly

Help support the victims of conflict in a volatile world

When we came to choose the theme of our 2024 charity appeal, we quickly realised it would be impossible to ignore that this has been an especially harrowing year of conflict, war and human suffering.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 13, 2024
Ring master The Trump circus is already back in town
The Guardian Weekly

Ring master The Trump circus is already back in town

The grand reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris last Saturday was attended by around 50 heads of state and government.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 13, 2024
Object lessons Behind the scenes of a museum's grand reserves
The Guardian Weekly

Object lessons Behind the scenes of a museum's grand reserves

A tour of the newarchive collection of London's Science Museum andits associates reveals a cornucopia of wonders and treasures

time-read
4 mins  |
December 13, 2024
Double takes The rise of the celebrity lookalike competition
The Guardian Weekly

Double takes The rise of the celebrity lookalike competition

When Miles Mitchell's friends saw fliers scattered across New York City last month advertising a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition, they urged the 21-yearold college senior from Staten Island to enter.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 13, 2024