Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 30 Feature: Ten years of development, China's contribution to global green development
Xinhua News Agency reporter
Driven by continuous green investment, China's technological innovation in renewable energy, electric vehicles and other fields has constantly reached new heights in the past decade. Through international cooperation, China has also shared its accumulated technology and experience with different countries, benefited people in a wider region, and played an important role in global green development.
This is the offshore wind power site built by Huaneng (Zhuanghe) Wind Power Co., Ltd. on July 19, 2021. (Xinhua News Agency)
Establish a green development and innovation benchmark
According to the data of the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, since 2012, China's energy intensity has decreased by more than 26%, the proportion of coal in energy consumption has declined by 12.5 percentage points, the installed capacity of renewable energy power generation has exceeded 1.1 billion kilowatts, and the installed capacity of hydropower, wind power, and photovoltaic power generation has ranked first in the world for many years. In addition, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in China also lead the world.
According to the report Tracking Clean Energy Innovation - Focusing on China released by the International Energy Agency this year, China has become a major participant in energy patent application activities in a very short time, and the proportion of Chinese inventors is increasing, especially in the fields of solar photovoltaic, electric vehicle technology, lighting, etc.
Taking solar photovoltaic as an example, the data quoted in the report shows that from 2018 to 2019, the number of international patent applications for batteries and solar photovoltaic submitted by Chinese inventors was about 6 times the number of applications from 2008 to 2009, and the number of international patent applications for electric vehicle technology submitted by Chinese inventors was about 8 times the number of applications from 2008 to 2009.
The report points out that China's innovation process in the field of solar photovoltaic shows that it is a process of gradual transformation from pure technology manufacturing to innovation. China's impact on reducing the cost of solar PV and improving the performance of solar PV has changed the global thinking on energy innovation, laying the foundation for the development of batteries and electric vehicles.
Lewis Ndishu, an analyst at the African Policy Research Institute, a think-tank in Kenya, said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that China has explored a convenient, efficient and clean development path by virtue of technology and scale advantages, "played a key role" in the decarbonization process of the global energy system, set a global benchmark, and provided a reference template for developing countries.
This is the solar panel of the 50 MW photovoltaic power station in Garissa, Kenya, taken on December 13, 2019. Photographed by Xie Han, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency
International cooperation helps green transformation
In terms of green development technology innovation and large-scale application, China is not limited to the domestic market. With excellent product and technical experience, Chinese enterprises have assisted in developing renewable energy, battery manufacturing and other projects in many countries around the world to benefit local people.
In Garissa County, northeast Kenya, the largest photovoltaic power station in East Africa contracted by Chinese enterprises has continued to provide clean power for local people since it was put into operation.
It is reported that the annual average power generation of Garissa PV power station exceeds 76 million kilowatt hours, meeting the power demand of 70000 households and hundreds of thousands of people. Power stations also bring great "green benefits" - saving more than 20000 tons of standard coal and reducing tens of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
Ndishu said that Garissa PV power station has greatly increased the proportion of renewable energy in the local power grid, laying the foundation for Kenya to achieve more economic power supply.
In Brazil, since 2014, BYD Brazil has established three factories in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Manaus, Amazon, covering the fields of solar power generation, battery energy storage and new energy vehicles.
Sergio Aveleda, an expert from Brazil's Inspe Institute of Education and a former director of the Sao Paulo Municipal Transportation Bureau, said that BYD would not only introduce energy-saving and emission reduction products and solutions in the Brazilian market, but also create jobs and bring relevant knowledge and technology for the local people.
In mature developed country markets, Chinese technology-based enterprises are also assisting local manufacturers to promote green transformation.
China's Wuxi Pioneer Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. is a world leading new energy equipment manufacturer and service provider. According to Chen Chu, the general manager of Pioneer Intelligence's German subsidiary, Pioneer Intelligence will set up a subsidiary in Germany in 2021 to bring China's battery production equipment and technology to Germany. At present, its local partners include German Volkswagen, BMW and other well-known automobile enterprises. In addition, Pioneer Intelligence has also reached strategic cooperation with several European battery manufacturers.
Marcus Lindkamp, professor of automotive engineering at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, told Xinhua News Agency that if we want to deal with climate change, we need to achieve decarbonization in the field of transportation. For the automotive industry, all electric vehicles are the best choice at present. For this, "China and Germany have made a lot of investment, and the two countries are really promoting the development of related technologies. In my opinion, no country can deal with climate change and other issues on its own".
This is an electric bus shot in the BYD factory in Campinas, Brazil on April 6, 2017. (Xinhua News Agency)
Open up a new chapter of green development
In the face of global challenges such as climate change, water, soil and air pollution, countries urgently need to achieve green development. To this end, the Chinese government has made long-term investment and substantial efforts in low-carbon transformation, climate investment and financing, technological innovation, international cooperation and other aspects.
China has always actively implemented practical actions to address climate change, made a solemn commitment to "strive to reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060", and announced that no new overseas coal power projects will be built. China has set up a leading group for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, built and implemented a dual carbon "1+N" policy system, and actively promoted low-carbon development and green transformation.
Driven by policy support and technological innovation, China is expected to reap more achievements in the field of green development, which shows a positive side for countries exploring green transformation, especially developing countries.
Aveleda said that China's efforts and pioneering spirit in green development and carbon neutrality "encourage and guide developing countries to develop their economies in a more sustainable and green way, and accelerate the pace of building a better, more sustainable and more inclusive world".