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The main reason is that they need energy, and coal is cheap, reliable and abundant. Worry about the environment is not at the top of the list. They aren't makin

The main reason is that they need energy, and coal is cheap, reliable and abundant. Worry about the environment is not at the top of the list. They aren't making cement or steel with solar panels. This is the reality.

jillesvangurp 3y ago
It's not that cheap. And it's not abundant locally so they have to import it. The reality is that it's more cost effective to generate energy using wind and solar at this point. Which is why China is deploying so much of that. You are right they don't care as much about the environment. But they do care about cost. Coal stopped being economical in most places years ago. That's why so many coal plants are closing everywhere. The reason the Chinese are still building coal plants is that they can't ramp up solar and wind production quick enough and they don't want to switch to gas at this point, which would be a temporary thing as well. As per their plans a few years ago, they would bridge the gap with nuclear and renewables with temporary coal plants with that peaking a few years from now and that ultimately being largely gone by 2065. However, the calendar keeps shifting there, in favor of solar and wind. Which is why this article is projecting the number of plants to still grow but less coal burned overall. Which is good news of course. I think their nuclear plans are being adjusted downwards for the same reasons. Cost.
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
  China usually imports specialty coal, but they have a lot of coal locally, but it’s just a bit too dirty and doesn’t burn as hot as what they can get from Aus. The main issue with renewables for China is that they are mostly in the west and they still don’t have enough grid to transport all of the green energy east where the people are. They also have to move away from gas at the same time, so coal it is.
- maxglute 3y ago
  PRC has plenty of coal reserves. They only import coal for steel making. Thermal/power coal negligible and only then to plug domestistc production gaps. They're building a lot of domestic coal plants because advanced plants are "clean enough" and supplement energy security. But yes, I don't think anyone expected renewable costs to come down that much. The other consideration is crack down on RE freed up a lot of compatible construction capacity to to mass rollout renewables. And relatively "lowskilled/cheap" construction overcapacity is going to disappear as PRC demographic transitions - old manual labour excess supply on their way out. Economics may swing back to plants.

jillesvangurp 3y ago

It's not that cheap. And it's not abundant locally so they have to import it. The reality is that it's more cost effective to generate energy using wind and solar at this point. Which is why China is deploying so much of that. You are right they don't care as much about the environment. But they do care about cost. Coal stopped being economical in most places years ago. That's why so many coal plants are closing everywhere. The reason the Chinese are still building coal plants is that they can't ramp up solar and wind production quick enough and they don't want to switch to gas at this point, which would be a temporary thing as well. As per their plans a few years ago, they would bridge the gap with nuclear and renewables with temporary coal plants with that peaking a few years from now and that ultimately being largely gone by 2065. However, the calendar keeps shifting there, in favor of solar and wind. Which is why this article is projecting the number of plants to still grow but less coal burned overall. Which is good news of course. I think their nuclear plans are being adjusted downwards for the same reasons. Cost.

seanmcdirmid 3y ago
China usually imports specialty coal, but they have a lot of coal locally, but it’s just a bit too dirty and doesn’t burn as hot as what they can get from Aus. The main issue with renewables for China is that they are mostly in the west and they still don’t have enough grid to transport all of the green energy east where the people are. They also have to move away from gas at the same time, so coal it is.
maxglute 3y ago
PRC has plenty of coal reserves. They only import coal for steel making. Thermal/power coal negligible and only then to plug domestistc production gaps. They're building a lot of domestic coal plants because advanced plants are "clean enough" and supplement energy security. But yes, I don't think anyone expected renewable costs to come down that much. The other consideration is crack down on RE freed up a lot of compatible construction capacity to to mass rollout renewables. And relatively "lowskilled/cheap" construction overcapacity is going to disappear as PRC demographic transitions - old manual labour excess supply on their way out. Economics may swing back to plants.