A new survey of coal power projects in China shows that an estimated 114 GW of capacity was approved and 70 GW started construction in 2023, accelerating further from the frantic pace of permitting two new coal power plants and starting construction on one new plant per week in 2022. As a result of the increase in coal use and investment in coal power, China risks missing several climate targets it set for 2025, unless drastic action is taken soon. In 2021, the country committed to strictly limiting coal consumption growth; strictly controlling new coal power; reducing energy intensity; and reducing carbon intensity; it also set targets of increasing the share of non-fossil energy sources to 20%; and getting more than 50% of the increase in energy use from renewable sources. This report “China risks missing multiple climate commitments as coal power approvals continue” by Global Energy Monitor and CREA demonstrates, all of these targets are severely off track after 2023.
Despite the rhetoric of coal power playing a “supporting” role, power generation from coal increased approximately 12% from 2020 to 2023, delivering 44% of the growth in power generation. The growth rate of coal power generation accelerated to 4%/year in 2021-23, from 3.5% in 2016-20. Growth in total coal consumption, including non-power sector uses, increased 8-fold from 0.5%/year in 2016-2020 to 3.8%/year, despite the pledge to “strictly control” coal consumption growth. Almost half (46%) of the growth in energy use came from coal and 70% from fossil fuels, against a target of getting more than 50% of the growth from renewable energy, another target that is off track.
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