The second world’s largest economy plans massive investments to thermal power plants construction and coal mining expansion.
China put into operation thermal power plants with installed capacity of 43 Gigawatts only this year. More 121 Gigawatts are being constructed. The installed thermal power plant capacity needs to be increased to 250 – 400 Gigawatts from current 1,000 Gigawatts till 2030. China intends to keep constructing coal power plants for that purpose.
These investments will be accompanied by coal mining expansion. China wants to kill two birds with one stone – to increase electrical energy production and support its economy growth which is expected to be on the lowest level in last 30 years.
Yet, China’s intentions are in conflict with UN plans on reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the planned China’s coal power plants capacity building is one of the issues discussed on the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference. China’s representatives stated that the country plans to participate in greenhouse gas emissions reduction yet concurrently they mention that increasing of population living standards need to be considered, too.
