China's Far From Done With Coal as Regulator Eases New Plant Ban

[NED funded]

China allowed 11 provinces and regions to resume building coal power plants, in another sign that the world’s largest energy user is far from finished with the most-polluting fossil fuel.

The National Energy Administration forecast that only 10 provinces and regions would have an excess of coal-fired electricity generation capacity in 2022, down from last year’s outlook for a glut in 21 areas by 2021. That means 11 areas can start building plants again, as the overcapacity label had suspended construction of new projects until the issue was addressed.

The decision underscores how dependent on coal the world’s second-largest economy still is, even as it invests hundreds of billions of dollars in cleaner energy sources such as natural gas, wind turbines and solar panels. While coal’s share of China’s total energy consumption fell to 59 percent last year, the growth in the country’s total energy consumption meant burning of the dirty fossil fuel actually increased by 1 percent.

Shares of Chinese coal miners jumped on Friday’s news. Datong Coal Industry Co. rose as much as 10 percent, the most in 21 months. Shanxi Xishan Coal & Electricity Power Co. gained as much as 9 percent, the biggest intraday advance since December 2017.

Areas freed up for new coal power plant construction include Hebei, Qinghai, Chongqing, Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Guizhou and Henan, according to the NEA. The facilities aren’t allowed to produce heat for residential customers, but can serve large industrial users.

Something has to be done about China's pollution if we are about to get serious on climate change.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-new-plant-ban

[shadowmouse]

Something has to be done about China's pollution

From the article... you even quoted it, but chose to bold the section that fit what you wanted to say.

[China is investing] hundreds of billions of dollars in cleaner energy sources such as natural gas, wind turbines and solar panels. While coal’s share of China’s total energy consumption fell to 59 percent last year, the growth in the country’s total energy consumption meant burning of the dirty fossil fuel actually increased by 1 percent.

Further on down

The facilities aren’t allowed to produce heat for residential customers, but can serve large industrial users.

So, China is already investing a ton of money in natural gas, wind turbines and solar panels. It isn't shown here, but China has put limits on imports of coal to reduce use of dirtier coal, and it also tends to use newer plants that burn cleaner. While overall coal use rose by a whopping 1%, it fell in relation to overall energy consumption. The new plants will be further limited by not being permitted to produce heat for residential customers. That sure looks to me like something is being done about pollution.

Guess what, the Chinese don't like having to breathe smog and that's an even more immediate threat to them than climate change. AQI gets broken out by particle size and major pollutants as part of a standard weather report here.

[PC2]

Something has to be done about China's pollution if we are about to get serious on climate change.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-new-plant-ban

Help develop the alternatives. Simple as that.

Depriving countries of an energy source isn't the solution.

[NED funded]

From the article... you even quoted it, but chose to bold the section that fit what you wanted to say.



Further on down


So, China is already investing a ton of money in natural gas, wind turbines and solar panels. It isn't shown here, but China has put limits on imports of coal to reduce use of dirtier coal, and it also tends to use newer plants that burn cleaner. While overall coal use rose by a whopping 1%, it fell in relation to overall energy consumption. The new plants will be further limited by not being permitted to produce heat for residential customers. That sure looks to me like something is being done about pollution.

Guess what, the Chinese don't like having to breathe smog and that's an even more immediate threat to them than climate change. AQI gets broken out by particle size and major pollutants as part of a standard weather report here.

Its amazing that you put a positive spin on the news that China is doing away with environmental regulations in order to resume the building of coal power plants. When the alternative was to keep those regulations.

[Triceron]

Its amazing that you put a positive spin on the news that China is doing away with environmental regulations in order to resume the building of coal power plants. When the alternative was to keep those regulations.

I doubt you have any experience running a country of a billion people, so lets pretend you did.

To use clean energy, you need money to develop and implement said technology. To make money, you need to keep the economy going. To keep the economy running you need industry. To fuel industry, you need coal.

There is no easy switch to clean energy on such a large scale as China. They are already investing in clean energy, but that change is going to take decades to fully switch over. Until then, they, like every country, needs to depend on fossil fuels to keep their econ running. They cant just do what the US did and shut down factories to outsource 'to China'.

[caervek]

Its amazing that you put a positive spin on the news that China is doing away with environmental regulations in order to resume the building of coal power plants. When the alternative was to keep those regulations.

Well considering those regulations would have prevented them from decommissioning old coal plants and replacing them with newer/cleaner coal plants (when the alternative was to keep using the older super polluting ones) it's definitely a positive thing.

[Seranthor]

Something has to be done about China's pollution if we are about to get serious on climate change.

China needs electricity for their population. How do you suggest China accomplish this, exactly. So what is your solution?

[the game]

Someone should tell them we only have 12 years until the world ends.

[Zelk]

don't they know fossil fuel is only for america and its allies??!?!

[NED funded]

Well considering those regulations would have prevented them from decommissioning old coal plants and replacing them with newer/cleaner coal plants (when the alternative was to keep using the older super polluting ones) it's definitely a positive thing.

Is there any source that this are replacement plants rather than additions ? Consider that these are directed towards industry makes me believe that they are additiond and not replacement.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Hey, all that matters is they put ink to page on the Paris accords. They are environmentally sounded now. Period. /s

[NED funded]

don't they know fossil fuel is only for america and its allies??!?!

The US has been decomissioning coal power plants. China keeps building them. Such is life.

- - - Updated - - -

There is no easy switch to clean energy on such a large scale as China. They are already investing in clean energy, but that change is going to take decades to fully switch over. Until then, they, like every country, needs to depend on fossil fuels to keep their econ running. They cant just do what the US did and shut down factories to outsource 'to China'.

Can we drop this as a talking point pls?

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OUTMS

Manufacturing output in the US is much higher than it was when it started outsourcing to China. Yet no insane increase in emissions.

[Triceron]

The US has been decomissioning coal power plants. China keeps building them. Such is life.

- - - Updated - - -



Can we drop this as a talking point pls?

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OUTMS

Manufacturing output in the US is much higher than it was when it started outsourcing to China. Yet no insane increase in emissions.

Cuz US has the economy and infrastructure to swap to different or new technologies. They are a economically superior country. Where does China list on the economic per-capita rankings?

They need coal to keep running. If you cant understand that then you know nothing about China.

I mean, every american is able to eat beef and drink milk. Same can not be said about the opportunities of every Chinese citizen. Theres a huge cultural and societal difference we are talking about, you cant just blanket compare pollution and industry of these two countries as though they are the same.

[Independent voter]

It doesn't matter how many people your country has, what matters is how many tons of CO2 you're outputting.

China, the second richest country in the world, should no longer be considered a developing nation.

[Cruor]

Its amazing that you put a positive spin on the news that China is doing away with environmental regulations in order to resume the building of coal power plants. When the alternative was to keep those regulations.

You are amazing. They are WORKING on it but they aren't going coal free tomorrow. Same as the USA. Stop having a hissy fit, people need power and the earth is going to be ok for a long time.

Let's pretend it WASN'T going to be ok though. What are the options? Wind sucks, solar sucks and takes up too much space. That leaves nuclear and environmental weenies dont want that either. So some propose we use less power. How? Power rationing? Turn off my AC in summer? Hell no. Even if I did, I'd have to drive an hour to a good swimming lake to cool off... with my supercharged V8 burning all that gas you hate.

[Triceron]

It doesn't matter how many people your country has, what matters is how many tons of CO2 you're outputting.

China, the second richest country in the world, should no longer be considered a developing nation.

But thats spread amongst millions of people. Per capita, they are not the richest. You are lumping in hundreds of thousands of rural and lower class workers who may depend on coal factories to survive. Its not an easy switch for them to suddenly go with a new resource. Economically, it makes no sense to drop a resource that is cheaper to use.

I mean you could say this about cars. Do you drive electric? If not, are you going to right now because its safer for the environment, or stick with gas because its more reliable?

In a few years when clean energy is more accessible, a switch will be made. Until then, its stupid to suggest any country would want to tank their economy by seitching to a costlier resource with no substantial economic or industrial benefit.

[PC2]

Stop having a hussy fit, people need power and the earth is going to be ok for a long time.

Yeah except some people believe the non-scientific claims that civilization won't be able to operate due to ACC and that extinction is nearing. It's hard to reason with people who think ACC is the ultimate problem, when really it's just another typical problem. One of many.

[Nfinitii]

Something has to be done about China's pollution if we are about to get serious on climate change.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-new-plant-ban

I’ve been saying this for a long time, u know let’s destroy America’s economy for no benefit.

[beanman12345]

Someone should tell them we only have 12 years until the world ends.

No one said the world ends in 12 years, this is just you twisting what people said.

[Shelly]

You are amazing. They are WORKING on it but they aren't going coal free tomorrow. Same as the USA. Stop having a hissy fit, people need power and the earth is going to be ok for a long time.

Let's pretend it WASN'T going to be ok though. What are the options? Wind sucks, solar sucks and takes up too much space. That leaves nuclear and environmental weenies dont want that either. So some propose we use less power. How? Power rationing? Turn off my AC in summer? Hell no. Even if I did, I'd have to drive an hour to a good swimming lake to cool off... with my supercharged V8 burning all that gas you hate.

Or you have batteries that can flatten out the consumption "duck curve" of renewables.

Also most people in china don't have a supercharged V8. Their urban centers though are making great progress on swapping out diesel buses to electric though which is awesome.

Also you could probably ride a bike to your local pool.