Jan RosenowSep 3, 2024

"If wind & solar were the answer, China would be building them at record speed." someone replied to my post on UK coal phase-out on X.

Good news: China IS building wind & solar capacity at record speed - almost 2/3 of world's utility-scale wind & solar under construction.

Show threadSvanteSep 3, 2024
@janrosenow Yes, it is part of the answer. No, it is emphatically NOT the whole answer, and it is of course not the only clean technology China is building at record speed.
Show threadGabriel PettierSep 3, 2024

@Ardubal @janrosenow yep, china is building everything at record speed (and even coal, though i believe at much less record-setting speed, is being built).

At this point, if it’s a way to produce energy, they’ll build it, whatever it is.

Show threadAriaflameSep 3, 2024
@tshirtman @Ardubal @janrosenow As I understand it the coal they are currently building is to replace the dirtier coal they currently have, as an intermediary until they have enough storage for the more intermittent energy from RE sources.
Show threadDan Neuman 🇨🇦Sep 3, 2024
@ariaflame @tshirtman @Ardubal @janrosenow Another POV is that the plants are being built but not used. The capacity factors for what they have is under 50%. They may be being built by the Chinese provinces as make work projects.
Show threadAriaflame
@dan613 @tshirtman @Ardubal @janrosenow Could be.
Sep 3, 2024 at 5:58pmWeb