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https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/1160441919/china-is-building-six-times-more-new-coal-plants-than-other-countries-report-fin https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/116044

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/1160441919/china-is-building-six-times-more-new-coal-plants-than-other-countries-report-fin https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/1160441919/china-is-building-... The US is hampering its own businesses so that Chinese businesses can belch even more CO2 into the air. Simple as that.

barbazoo 4y ago
Relatively speaking, China still appears to be reducing the the energy coming from coal compared to renewables.
- seanmcdirmid 4y ago
  Coal rose 2.3% in 2022 over 2021 due to an energy crisis (i.e. natural gas got really expensive). But overall this is correct. Having lived in Beijing when the air was routinely "crazy bad", the Chinese are very motivated to clean things up for their own good.
  - AniseAbyss 4y ago
    [dead]
paulryanrogers 4y ago
US industrialized sooner and belched far more in the past. China isn't perfect, yet does seem to be making big changes in the right direction.
- b112 4y ago
  US industrialized sooner and belched far more in the past. Most of that was: * before the public accepted global warming * before strong alternatives were available
  - paulryanrogers 4y ago
    Regardless it doesn't mean the US should continue to make poor choices just because China is given more grace.
    - b112 4y ago
      https://www.popsci.com/environment/renewable-energy-generation-coal-2022/ https://www.popsci.com/environment/renewable-energy-generati... The US is on a steady march, and has an incredible amount of green funding. https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-clima... But I guess that doesn't fit the narrative of "US bad".
      - paulryanrogers 4y ago
        Not everyone criticizing the US is trying to fit a narrative. It's unhelpful to bucket them into only good/bad.
  - orf 4y ago
    Cool motive, still pollution.
cogman10 4y ago
Without a whole lot of government regulations/incentives renewables have been going gangbusters in the US. Heck, there were even renewable disincentives put in the form of tariffs. The reason is pretty simple, renewables have had a pretty rapid decrease in cost/kwh. https://www.irena.org/publications/2021/Jun/Renewable-Power-Costs-in-2020 https://www.irena.org/publications/2021/Jun/Renewable-Power-... It's now some of the cheapest power on the market. A lot of the talking points about renewables being expensive is based on dated information. Tech and time has changed the nature of power generation. Far from hurting businesses, the switch to renewables is a competitive advantage. It reduces the cost of power generation. Renewables are a key reason the PNW has some of the cheapest electricity in the US. Further, it stabilizes prices. Renewables have a very steady cost structure because there's not secondary (fuel) market impacting price.

barbazoo 4y ago

Relatively speaking, China still appears to be reducing the the energy coming from coal compared to renewables.

seanmcdirmid 4y ago
Coal rose 2.3% in 2022 over 2021 due to an energy crisis (i.e. natural gas got really expensive). But overall this is correct. Having lived in Beijing when the air was routinely "crazy bad", the Chinese are very motivated to clean things up for their own good.
- AniseAbyss 4y ago
  [dead]

paulryanrogers 4y ago

US industrialized sooner and belched far more in the past. China isn't perfect, yet does seem to be making big changes in the right direction.

b112 4y ago
US industrialized sooner and belched far more in the past. Most of that was: * before the public accepted global warming * before strong alternatives were available
- paulryanrogers 4y ago
  Regardless it doesn't mean the US should continue to make poor choices just because China is given more grace.
  - b112 4y ago
    https://www.popsci.com/environment/renewable-energy-generation-coal-2022/ https://www.popsci.com/environment/renewable-energy-generati... The US is on a steady march, and has an incredible amount of green funding. https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-clima... But I guess that doesn't fit the narrative of "US bad".
    - paulryanrogers 4y ago
      Not everyone criticizing the US is trying to fit a narrative. It's unhelpful to bucket them into only good/bad.
- orf 4y ago
  Cool motive, still pollution.

cogman10 4y ago

Without a whole lot of government regulations/incentives renewables have been going gangbusters in the US. Heck, there were even renewable disincentives put in the form of tariffs. The reason is pretty simple, renewables have had a pretty rapid decrease in cost/kwh. https://www.irena.org/publications/2021/Jun/Renewable-Power-Costs-in-2020 https://www.irena.org/publications/2021/Jun/Renewable-Power-... It's now some of the cheapest power on the market. A lot of the talking points about renewables being expensive is based on dated information. Tech and time has changed the nature of power generation. Far from hurting businesses, the switch to renewables is a competitive advantage. It reduces the cost of power generation. Renewables are a key reason the PNW has some of the cheapest electricity in the US. Further, it stabilizes prices. Renewables have a very steady cost structure because there's not secondary (fuel) market impacting price.