DESCRIPTION
China’s electricity system is the largest in the world. It emits about 45% of China’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, or about 14% of the global total of energy-related carbon emissions. Decarbonizing China’s electricity system is essential to the decarbonization of China’s and global energy system. It is also the primary pathway to decarbonize other sectors such as transport, industry, and buildings, and to improve air pollution. Our energy decarbonization research examines power sector transformation pathways and the institutional and market mechanisms to achieve them.
PUBLICATIONS
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Renewable Energy Pathways to Carbon Neutrality in ChinaIn collaboration with UC San Diego and Tsinghua University, this report defines feasible and efficient renewable energy pathways, by decade, to support a more effective and equitable clean energy transition for China. This work uncovers deployment priorities across time and space and provides recommendations for near- and long-term action. Read the Summary for Policymakers (English)>> |
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A Decade of Action: A Strategic Approach to Coal Phase-Down for ChinaNew analysis from the California-China Climate Institute and Center for Sustainability at the University of Maryland outlines a practical and feasible approach to phasing down China's coal consumption by 20% and reducing harmful air pollutants by up to 40% by 2030. Read the Summary for Policymakers>> |
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More than Numbers: China’s New Climate PlansAt the recently-convened COP26 climate talks, China's Special Envoy for Climate, Xie Zhenhua, highlighted the country’s recent progress in working towards its climate goals with not just rhetoric but action. |
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China’s power crunch is another reminder to move away from its carbon-intensive growth pathIn 2021, more than 20 Chinese provinces experienced industrial or residential power crunches, including China’s major manufacturing hubs: Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu. |
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The Devil's in the Details: Assessing China's Pledge to End Overseas Coal ConstructionPresident Xi Jinping addressed the United Nations General Assembly via video message and sent shockwaves around the world, announcing that his country will stop building coal-fired power plants overseas. |
RECENT ACTIVITIES
CORE RESEARCH TEAM
Fan Dai, Jessica Gordon in collaboration with colleagues within the University of California system, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the University of Maryland Center for Global Sustainability