Coal power surges as renewables hit high

CHINA saw a surge in new coal power in the first half of the year even as the country added record levels of clean energy capacity, according to a report published yesterday.

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Coal has been a pivotal energy source in China for decades but explosive growth in wind and solar installations in recent years has raised hopes that the country can wean itself off the dirty fossil fuel.

Coal accounts for around half of China's power generation, down from three-quarters in 2016.

Yet the country brought 21 gigawatts (GW) of coal power online in the first six months of this year, the highest first-half total since 2016, the report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and Global Energy Monitor (GEM) said.

China also began or restarted construction on coal projects totalling 46 GW - equivalent to the total coal power in South Korea - and launched another 75 GW-worth of proposed new and revived coal power projects.

The growth threatens China's goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and risks solidifying coal’s role in its power sector, the report said.