China Green Energy: China utilizes renewable power projects to tackle pollution

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China leads the way in developing renewable energy. Its renewable power projects make it competitive with other countries - but China remains one of the world's top polluters. CGTN's David Deen tells us what's being done to change it.

In recent years, China's renewable energy development has put it on top of the world. By the end of 2017, renewable energy accounted for 11.7% of China's primary power output, and 10.4% of the world's. However, China still remains heavily reliant on coal - a severe environmental pollutant.

CHAI QIMIN DIRECTOR OF INT'L COOPERATION NATIONAL CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY AND INT'L COOPERATION "China currently faces huge pressure in alleviating its pollution. Solar power development helps to promote innovation in new energy systems, including the formation of new business models such as the global energy Internet."

Last year, China added 50 gigawatts of solar power capacity, more than it added for coal, gas and nuclear power capacity. Since 2009, China has invested more money in clean energy production than any other country.

BENI SURYDAI DIRECTOR OF POLICY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS ASEAN ENERGY CENTER "Some countries like Laos and Indonesia rely largely on hydropower, while China's weakness is its coal usage. For many years, China tried to address this at the national level, but now we're working more with ASEAN nations, introducing a lot of new initiatives to become more green in our energy usage."

The cooperation brings ASEAN's richness in hydropower and coal resources together with China's experience in investing, and project-building. China has largely backed ASEAN's household PV and wind power efforts. Looking ahead, the focus will largely be on clean energy.

BENI SURYDAI DIRECTOR OF POLICY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS ASEAN ENERGY CENTER "We could learn a good lesson from ASEAN in utilizing and maximizing solar power. Also ASEAN countries like India and Thailand have already highly targeted solar power implementation via their collaboration with China. I believe we will help them understand how to better utilize solar power."

The pace of this new installation of renewable power sources has cheered defenders of the Paris climate agreement. China is now on track to uphold its commitments under the Paris climate accord.

CHAI QIMIN DIRECTOR OF INT'L COOPERATION NATIONAL CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY AND INT'L COOPERATION "We are capable of achieving more than what we pledged in the Paris Agreement. We aim to lower the carbon intensity of China's GDP to 40%-45% by 2020, which we achieved in 2017."

More and more Chinese citizens now use green energy. The country has launched a range of national low-carbon pilot projects. Many hope the results of these initiatives will contribute to an even greener future. CGTN, David Deen, BEIJING.