Comment by plqbfbv
2 months ago
> However Chinese domination .. make even choosing the obviously cheapest (and incidentally clean) option difficult in many parts of the world.
In what way? China has basically dwarfed solar installations of any other country combined for the last two years, and produces so many panels and so cheap that EU and US competitors are being driven out of business.
China might be the reason we CAN make the transition actually.
Probably thinking that if it appears China is getting global dominance in energy production/energy storage/car manufacturing, the West would block imports out of political and economic expediency. Like the current US administration is doing.
That’s why not cutting off the nose to spite the face.
The cat is out of the bag and renewables and storage is the new cheapest globally scalable energy source since the advent of fossil fuel.
Either you embrace them or get left behind.
Sure, try to cultivate a local industry, but doing it by slowing down the progress will only leave you further behind.
China is producing so much CO2 it destroys any impact this green tech may have.
Yes, but they set more ambitious goals than the EU and they're succeeding at moving energy generation to renewables and electrifying transportation: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-ha...
The chemical sector is the only reason why emissions haven't meaningfully declined yet, and I suspect it is in part due to conversion of supply chain for electrification.
The point is that they're paying a one-off cost (thus producing a peak) and they're already reaping rewards. Once they fully transition power generation to renewables and electrify transportation, what's left can be better regulated and CO2 recapture more easily scaled thanks to also R&D advances on CO2 recapture (e.g. capturing CO2 emissions from a chemical plant's exhaust). Then, even if you need more energy for CO2 recapture, you can keep scaling renewables further.
If everyone sets goals and starts work to reduce emissions in 2015 you dont get credit for failing to meet all your goals while secretly doing the opposite and trying to create as much growth as possible by scaling coal production. Like how would it be if my country was like ok we will reduce emissions in 2045 and then doubled our emissions in the next 5 years. Thats what China is doing.