{"id":34876,"date":"2017-06-27T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-09-17T13:35:14","modified_gmt":"2020-09-17T13:35:14","slug":"9876-china-s-clean-coal-power-a-viable-model-or-cautionary-tale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/9876-china-s-clean-coal-power-a-viable-model-or-cautionary-tale\/","title":{"rendered":"China\u2019s \u2018clean coal\u2019 power: A viable model or cautionary tale?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the global drive to fight climate change, the West has long been viewed as pioneering while developing nations are often stigmatised as laggards. But this conventional wisdom is now under attack following US President Donald Trump\u2019s announcement<\/a> that his government would withdraw from the Paris accord. Later that day, the Chinese government<\/a> reaffirmed its commitment to the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the US on the way out of the agreement, does this mean that China will become the world\u2019s environmental leader? Many analysts think so, and media outlets from the New York Times<\/a><\/em> to the National Geographic<\/a><\/em> have dedicated column inches making such a case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, while it is true that China has the capacity to lead on climate change, it is unlikely to fill the void left by the US. Its ability to consistently deliver on its environmental pledges is not guaranteed because there is a gap between what the central government demands and what actually happens on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beijing has invested much political capital and financial clout into environmental initiatives to sooth domestic frustration with pollution and impress other world powers. For example, the power sector, which together with manufacturing, accounts for more than <\/a>80%<\/a> of the country\u2019s total carbon emissions, has undergone a surprising about-face, with renewables (hydro, wind and solar) generating about 153 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2016. This record almost matches Germany\u2019s impressive 186 TWh of renewable-generated power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The International Energy Agency estimates that coal will remain the biggest source of electricity generation until at least 2040, and consumption<\/a> in South and East Asia is projected to rise. China will remain the largest consumer in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Greening\u2019 coal power<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

China’s efforts to \u201cgreen\u201d coal, the country\u2019s dominant source of energy, are a critical part of the nation\u2019s new environmental drive. Beijing has already set emissions and efficiency standards for coal-fired power plants higher than either the EU or the US. The government requires new power plants to emit no more than 50 milligrammes of nitrogen oxide per cubic metre<\/a>. These standards are much looser in the US (95 mg\/m3<\/sup>) and the EU (150 mg\/m3<\/sup>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultra-supercritical coal power plant technology is also expected to help plants meet stricter standards. These plants ignite coal at a much higher temperature (1400\u00b0F) and higher internal pressure levels (more than 5,000 pounds per square inch) than traditional subcritical plants, which allows them to generate electricity more efficiently. According to a recent report<\/a> by the Center for American Progress (CAP), Beijing has made far more strides than Washington on this front, as more than 90% of China\u2019s 100 most efficient coal plants are equipped with ultra-supercritical technologies, compared with only 0.76% in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n