Projects to build new coal-fired power plants in China contributed to 90% of global new planned capacity, according to a study by Global Energy Monitor (GEM). Beijing is still commissioning new coal power projects, in contrast to a 2.9 GW decline in worldwide coal-fired generation capacity over the January-June period.
According to the research, China added 53.2 GW of coal-fired generation capacity in the first half of 2020, 90% of the global total new capacity. China also completed 11.4 GW of new capacity in the same period, accounting for 62% of the world’s total, while 12.8 GW that went into construction was equal to 86% of the global total, the study said.
Despite new projects, the coal share in China’s total energy consumption decreased to below 58% in 2019, as the country also pushed development in renewable energy projects, as part of a broader anti-pollution policy. Beijing said that renewable energy would contribute to most of its new generation capacity in 2020.
