Tuesday, 4 March 2025

Climate Coach: How China came to dominate the world in renewable energy

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10 charts that show how China eclipsed every country — including the U.S. — in green technologies

A collage of electric cars, windmills, solar panels, etc.

(Illustration by Elena Lacey/The Washington Post; iStock)

China's takeover of nearly every technology needed for the green energy revolution happened gradually — then all at once.

China now eclipses every other country when it comes to installations of wind and solar power, a striking transformation from 15 years ago. It was fueled by a gold rush of entrepreneurship and unwavering government support, including through hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies.

In the race to master technologies of the future, green energy is one arena where many analysts agree that China has pulled ahead of the United States in almost every key area, from electric vehicles to solar panels.

Graph of renewables in China surge past the United States and E.U.

That gap is likely to widen under President Donald Trump, analysts say. As Trump focuses on boosting fossil fuel production and cutting funding for clean energy projects, China is further increasing investment in renewable energy technologies.

How China, the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter by far, manages this newfound influence over the energies of tomorrow will have far-reaching ramifications for global politics, trade and the fight against climate change.