China’s recent approval of 66.7 gigawatts of new coal power capacity in 2024 raises questions about its climate commitments. Despite pledging to peak carbon emissions before 2030, the country has accelerated coal plant construction, particularly in provinces like Anhui and Xinjiang. After a slowdown in early 2024, approvals surged due to economic pressures and energy security concerns. This contradiction between China’s renewable energy goals and its expanding coal sector could impact global climate efforts in unexpected ways.
China approved 66.7 gigawatts of new coal-fired power capacity in 2024, reversing an initial downward trend seen earlier in the year. During the first half of 2024, approvals had dropped by 79.5% compared to the same period in 2023, totaling just 10.34 gigawatts. However, the second half of the year saw a significant increase in approvals, continuing a pattern that has worried climate experts.
China’s coal comeback signals a troubling shift as 2024 approvals surge despite earlier decline, alarming climate watchers.
The recent surge follows two years of heavy coal investments, with over 100 gigawatts approved annually between 2022 and 2023. Provinces like Anhui, Jiangxi, and Xinjiang have become centers for new coal development, with Anhui alone approving 19.18 gigawatts since 2022.
Construction has kept pace with approvals. In the first half of 2024, China started building over 41 gigawatts of coal power projects, representing about 90% of all new coal construction worldwide. The country has reached record levels with 94.5 GW of new coal capacity beginning construction in 2024, the highest since 2015. While only 8 gigawatts were completed during this period, the country aimed to commission approximately 80 gigawatts by year’s end. New and revived coal power proposals in early 2024 totaled 37 GW, significantly less than the 60 GW proposed in early 2023.
Simultaneously, China has added over 400 gigawatts of renewable energy since 2023. This green push has contributed to a 7% reduction in coal power generation between June 2023 and June 2024. Many provinces justify new coal plants as backup for intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
China’s continued coal expansion creates tension with its climate commitments to peak carbon emissions before 2030. New coal plants typically operate for decades, creating long-term emission sources that complicate future decarbonization efforts.
Regional politics and energy security concerns often drive coal projects. Local economic interests in provinces like Anhui and Xinjiang have prioritized coal development despite national climate goals. This reflects the challenge China faces in balancing immediate economic needs with long-term environmental commitments. This situation exemplifies the Clean Energy Paradox where announced climate policies paradoxically accelerate fossil fuel extraction before restrictions take effect.
The contradiction between China’s renewable energy leadership and its ongoing coal expansion highlights the complex reality of the world’s largest energy consumer trying to shift away from fossil fuels while maintaining economic growth.
