China zeroes in and leads on renewable energy boom

Over the past two decades, China has deliberately concentrated its industrial might on renewable energy, setting global standards in solar, wind, batteries, and electric mobility. In an interview with Berliner Zeitung, China energy expert Belinda Schäpe of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) examines China’s unprecedented renewable energy boom, the shortcomings of European industrial policy, and the mounting risks of global supply chains. “This year alone,” Schäpe notes, “China will add nine times more solar and wind power than it has in total nuclear capacity. Research is underway in China, Schäpe says, but it is unlikely SMRs will play a decisive role in decarbonization, not least because their small size makes them harder to secure. A strategic imperative for EuropeThe message from Schäpe is clear: China is racing ahead, setting global standards in renewable energy and green technology.