Sun editorial:

Green race is on

China is sprinting toward its goal of cleaner energy while the U.S. is taking baby steps

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.

You no sooner turn around than China is being described as one of the world’s fastest-growing producers of green energy.

It seems like yesterday that journalists visiting China were writing stories about the country’s belching coal- and oil-fired utility plants that were literally choking residents and darkening the prospects for Olympic athletes.

Now we’re seeing headlines that are just the opposite, including this one in Saturday’s New York Times: “Green power takes root in China.”

What happened? For one thing, the Chinese government set a national renewable energy standard. Chinese utilities must generate 8 percent of their power from renewable sources other than hydroelectric by the end of 2020.

Chinese companies recognized that, with domestic coal supplies projected to last only another 40 years and with the energy standard in place, green is the new and exciting way to make money. This started a competitive rush, with companies tripping over one another to bid on wind and solar jobs.

China has a long way to go. Its demand will exceed its energy production for decades, it faces the same shortages of transmission lines that we do, and making a sizable dent in its pollution is still a dream. Yet the country is plunging into the green revolution with an intensity far exceeding that in this country.

For example, in early 2008, China set a goal of producing 5,000 megawatts of wind power by the end of 2010. It appears it will exceed that goal six times over, according to the Times.

Thomas Friedman, the paper’s leading commentator on energy, wrote in a Sunday column that China’s pace will be a major concern for Americans if we do not quicken our own. “You won’t just be buying your toys from China,” he warned. “You’ll be buying your energy future from China.”

Congress is working on a national renewable energy standard, one that should have been set years ago. It will need to work harder and faster if we are to remain competitive in the energy markets of the future.

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

By uddeboda

7/8/09 at 4:18 a.m.

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This is because the Chinese are not so stupid as many people make them out to be, and despite their expansion of fossil fueled plants, they know that the future lies with green energy, and like the article says, the future will see China exporting green technology to the USA
By mred

7/8/09 at 5:34 a.m.

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Where is this country that doesn't have plenty of Government, that is doing well economically? China? no, plenty of government involvement in business. Singapore? government involvement in business there. Switzerland? all kinds of government there involved in business. Russia? lots of state involvement in industry in that country. So where is this libertarian loony paradise that the "free enterprise" fanatics can point to? Burundi? Afghanistan? Uzbekistan? ??

Countries like Ireland rolled back taxes, now there worse off than the USA. All prosperous first world economies are mixed economies. Some private sector, some government sector and some non-profit sector. Start thinking for yourself; turn off the Hannity, shelve the Im Primus and stop regurgitating Vin's and Sherm's latest nonsense.
By Future

7/8/09 at 6:02 a.m.

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The real message is that while China is pushing renewable at a pace they can sustain.

China is continuing to build coal and oil plants to make sure there is no gap between electric demand and supply.

In the US we have stopped clean coal, natural gas, nuclear, etc. so the gap will be meet closing our industries and by buy goods from China.
By pmmart

7/8/09 at 7:14 a.m.

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"Chinese utilities must generate 8 percent of their power from renewable sources other than hydroelectric by the end of 2020."

Kinda meaningless stastics since we don't have the actual figures for todays production.....also... 8% of the population of China doesn't equate to much when compared to our 300 million ... nor does 50,000 megawatts of wind energy when the article quoted claims that the Chinese have only a 40 year supply of coal.
By uddeboda

7/8/09 at 8:34 a.m.

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pmmart,
Here are figures for future energy production.
CHINA 6300000000Mwh fossil fuel 72%
USA 5170000000Mwh fossil fuel 71%
By Sunlizard

7/8/09 at 8:47 a.m.

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China will never go all renewable. Just because they put up some wind turbines does not mean they have any intention of getting off coal. They have several new coal plants planned. This is a rather naive editorial. They need their fossil fuel, just like the US of A. They want what we have. And Americans are not willing to use less, they just think they can develop enough renewable power to maintain a lifestyle that continues to waste energy. The only way renewable energy can work in the US would be if Americans were willing to change their wasteful lifestyle. The "cake and eat it" attitude will no doubt push mainstream American attitudes back towards fossil fuels. Wonder how many of the feel good renewable touters would be willing to only use half the electricity they are used to? Obama's popularity would fall through the floor if he were to promote an actual renewable energy lifestyle.
By NyeCountyLocal

7/8/09 at 9:20 a.m.

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"Chinese utilities must generate 8 percent of their power from renewable sources other than hydroelectric by the end of 2020.""

That is actually a way more realistic RPS than California's 33% by 2020, which is unattainable and will be highly destructive to the deserts and mountains rides in the blind rush to develop renewable energy on remote lands. Cihna understands the continued need for baseload power (which could be reduced if Americans conserve more energy, as Sunlizard says).

Reality check: China opens a new coal-burning power plant every week to feed its massive industry of manufacturing cheap goods to export to the US. China consumes 2.5 billion tons of coal per year, more than double the US, and coal imports are rising. But they also are doing something we do not want to do, they plan on closing old small inefficient coal-burning power plants and replace them with large highly efficient new coal-burning power plants that operate at near-critical high pressures for steam generation. The current cap-and-trade bill in Congress will not close any old coal-burning power plants in this country because big energy companies lobbied hard to keep them (they'll just buy carbon credits). (Source: Scientific American Earth 3.0 March 2009.)

Even better, China is ahead of us on the best part: they are building carbon-neutral cities. The city of Rhizao, with 2.8 million people, is making all new skyscrapers and 30% of suburban houses with rooftop solar water heaters. This generated a lot of local jobs, doubled the economic output of the city, and cut carbon emissions in half.
(Source: Scientific American Earth 3.0 March 2009.)

Yes, where is the US in this "race" to build energy-efficient cities? We're barely talking about it in newspapers.
By uddeboda

7/8/09 at 9:52 a.m.

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Sunlizard,

First line in your comment, only change the first word

""China will never go all renewable""

USA will never go all renewable