Last year, China generated 834 terawatt-hours of solar power.

Which is more than the G7 countries generated, and more than the US and EU combined. In fact the only country group that generates more solar power than China is the OECD, all 38 countries of it.

Data: @ember-energy.org

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/nathanielbullard.com/post/3lsbbsg6ohk2j

  • AES_Enjoyer@reddthat.com
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    1 day ago

    It’s not about regulation. China has almost the complete photovoltaic production of the world. Essentially all panels installed in the rest of the world are also Chinese. It’s about a smart government knowing which technologies to pursue, instead of things like the Spanish “sun tax” of the 2010s that killed whatever solar industry there might have been in the sunniest country in Europe.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      It’s about energy independence. The CCP doesn’t give a fuck about the environment, but not having to bring in energy from out of country is high on any governments priority list.

      • AES_Enjoyer@reddthat.com
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        1 day ago

        That’s why China is working hard on the greatest desert reforestation projects in the world, and why it exports an insane amount of solar panels instead of keeping them for themselves.

        • ikidd@lemmy.world
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          23 hours ago

          it exports an insane amount of solar panels instead of keeping them for themselves

          How altruistic of them.

          • AES_Enjoyer@reddthat.com
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            20 hours ago

            Not about altruism, just contradicts your prior claim of “energy security”. Maybe they’re switching to renewables because they do care about the environment and because they’re affordable?