China’s Actions on Clean Power

The document examines China's energy landscape as of 2012, highlighting its position as a global leader in renewable energy investment and wind capacity despite a heavy reliance on coal for electricity. It details the growth of the solar and wind sectors, the environmental and water-related costs of coal combustion, and the climate goals established under the 12th Five Year Plan, including targets for non-fossil fuel use and the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms.

• China possessed the world's largest power capacity in 2011 at 1,073 gigawatts (GW), an increase of more than nine percent since 2010.
• Coal remains the primary source of electricity, representing approximately 65 percent of installed capacity in 2011, while hydropower accounted for 22 percent.
• China achieved the world's largest installed wind power capacity in 2011, exceeding 62 GW, though approximately 28 percent (over 17 GW) remained unconnected to the grid by the end of the year.
• The Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) industry provided approximately 60 percent (21 GW) of the global market in 2011, though the sector faced challenges in 2012 due to reduced demand in Europe and US tariffs of about 15 percent.
• Coal combustion is responsible for significant pollution in China, including 70 percent of smoke dust and carbon dioxide emissions, and 90 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions.
• Proposed coal power bases under the 2011-2015 Five Year Plan are expected to require at least 10 billion cubic meters of water annually by 2015, threatening water supplies in arid Northwestern provinces such as Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Ningxia.
• The 12th Five Year Plan sets targets to increase non-fossil fuel use to 11.4 percent of electricity demand and reduce carbon emissions intensity per unit of GDP by 17 percent from 2010 levels.
• China is developing carbon pricing mechanisms, including a reported planned carbon tax starting at 10 Yuan ($1.59) per ton of CO2 and pilot emissions trading schemes in five cities (Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Chongqing) and two provinces (Guangdong and Hubei) starting in 2013.
• The 12th Five Year Plan aims for an additional 70 GW of wind capacity and over five GW of new solar power projects, focusing on regions including Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Yunnan.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2012). China’s Actions on Clean Power. https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_China_Clean_Energy_101112.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. China’s Actions on Clean Power. 2012. https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_China_Clean_Energy_101112.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=China’s Actions on Clean Power |date=October 2012 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_China_Clean_Energy_101112.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2012chinas, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{China’s Actions on Clean Power}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_China_Clean_Energy_101112.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }