More on China and renewable energy . . .

A short follow-up to my post on renewable energy work in China includes this amendment to their energy law that requires electricity grid companies to buy all the power produced by renewable energy generators. This would include power generated by wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, geothermal, and ocean energy. This is, in essence, a significant subsidy to support these new renewable energy industries and an example of the government's understanding of the need to be a leader in this area for future economic position in the world.

This is one of the few areas where their form of government can be an advantage. They can take quick and decisive action that will be followed even when, as in this case, the grid companies may not want to be forced to buy this power. This change is happening in a country where two thirds of the power is generated by coal giving them the distinction of being the world’s number one greenhouse gas emitter.


The amendment isn’t the only energy news as the Chinese have recently announced that they will team with Denmark to build a national renewable energy center.

"The project is set to combine the advantages of the two countries and promote renewable energy development fast and well in China," said Danish Minister of Climate Change and Energy Lykke Friis.

Chinese President Hu Jintao is also pushing companies to reduce operating costs through development of renewable energy sources. These changes I believe are not about global warming and the need to cut carbon emissions, though that is something they have committed to do. I believe that it is about the future, about maintaining economic growth, and understanding that power in the future will be with those countries that are no longer dependent on fossil fuels for energy. This is happening in China while in our country we read about both sides in the climate debate using the recent eastern snow storms to support their position.