China Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development Report: August 2007

<p>Thomas, I would not consider that China is actually leading the way.&nbsp; They are struggling with this issue just like the US.</p><p>Don't forget, a big chunck of this RE will be coming from the 3 Gorges Dam.&nbsp; 18,700 MW or almost 16% from this one project.</p>

Thank you China. You are leading the way. I wish the USA were doing the same. Lets all support each other.

Though they have rich geothermal resources, China seems to have a shocking lack of focus on geothermal power development. According to the report, they presently have only 30 MW of geothermal power developed compared to 5000 MW of wind. For 2010, they are projecting&nbsp;only an addeitional&nbsp;25-50 MW! This is insignificant compared to the&nbsp;3000-5000 MW goal for wind power! Some thing is very wrong here.

Thomas, my understanding is that not only is China&nbsp;continuing the rapid&nbsp;pace at which it is building coal fired power plants;&nbsp;it is not even using the best available technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its priority is quick, cheap and (consequently) dirty.&nbsp; I'm not saying that we shouldn't congratulate China for starting to implement wind; but we shouldn't be putting on the rose coloured glasses, when soot covered is still the norm in China.&nbsp; I'm also not saying that China's failure (to date) to use the best available technology is an excuse for us to do less -&nbsp;fat and dumb is never a good strategy.

China is a mixed bag when it comes to renewable energy.&nbsp; There seems to be some efforts to development RE&nbsp;but as stated by others, China is rapidly building coal power plants with limited pollution controlls and fueled with low quality high sulfur coal.&nbsp; China's central government may say the right things and even intend to clean up the air but the fact is China's ruling power is most concerned with stability and preventing any public protest.&nbsp; Bejing has trouble controlling more local officials who are more closley associated with local business and power plants.&nbsp; Without a strong public watch dog and public outcry China is going to have trouple slowing down or cleaning up coal plants.&nbsp; Unfortunetly, most of the people in China accept the situation as the way it is and the cost of economic growth.&nbsp; And even if they dont like the poor air quality, it is not their place to oppose the government.&nbsp; It was not until a river caught on fire in the US during the 1970s that we saw the light and citizens demanded govt action.&nbsp; But we had a long history of civil protest.&nbsp; The Chinese do not. But with a growing middle class, change may be on its way.