China’s state planner and energy regulator has said new coal-fired power plants are necessary during the transition away from fossil fuels to meet peak power demand and stabilise the grid.
China is the world’s largest energy consumer and is heavily reliant on coal. In 2023, the country’s global operating coal capacity grew by 2% to 2,130GW.
But coal power permits fell 83% in the first half of 2024, suggesting the world’s second-largest economy might be weaning itself off the fossil fuel.
However, according to new government guidelines, the country plans to keep building coal-fired power plants through 2027, as reported by Reuters.
The state planner and energy regulator said these plants were necessary in regions where they were needed to meet peak power demand or stabilise the grid.
Coal produces significantly more CO2 per unit of energy than other fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas because it contains a higher carbon content. Climate experts have said that countries need to move...