"The illusion of a stable, renewables-led grid collapsed: in Jiangsu, solar farms sputtered at low capacity as sunlight was dimmed by weeks of industrial smog."
"Faced with the prospect of power-grid failure, China had no choice but to fall back on the dirtiest tool in its energy arsenal: coal."
"The heatwave was a stark reminder that, despite its world-beating solar and wind facilities, China is still tethered - almost helplessly - to fossil fuels."
"As the world's largest energy consumer, China cannot simply abandon fossil fuels without jeopardizing the industrial base and social fabric that underpin its economic rise."
In June and July 2023, China's heatwave led to record temperatures, showcasing vulnerabilities in energy reliance. Xinjiang recorded 52°C and nationwide air-conditioning sales surged by 40%. The reliance on renewables faltered, evidenced by low solar output due to industrial smog and stagnant wind turbines in Inner Mongolia. Hydropower generation dipped, while carbon emissions soared. Coal-powered thermal plants met two-thirds of electricity demand, with coal consumption rising by 9% from 2022. China’s dependence on fossil fuels places it at risk of environmental degradation and geopolitical vulnerability amid its industrial growth.
Read at Nature
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]