Think Green Live Clean

Photo Credit: Scott Chang

The world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases is on it’s way to becoming the largest producer of clean energy, some say.  China not only leads the race in production of wind turbines, but has made giant leaps ahead of the West in their manufacturing of solar panels as well.  Not to mention- the country is rallying to find the most efficient types of coal power plants.  This leads us to the question many are beginning to ask:  Will China prevail in the energy-technology industry?  Will the West at some point switch from a dependence on oil in the Middle East to a dependence on sustainable energy from China?

Multinational corporations have already begun to develop factories in the region.  Vestas of Denmark, for example, recently completed the largest wind turbine-manufacturing complex in Northeastern China.  Renewable energy jobs are climbing by 100,000 per year, according to the Chinese Renewable Energies Industries Association. China’s top leaders and regulators are focusing anywhere from mandates, to subsidies, to policy surrounding the issue of sustainable energy. In fact, total power generation for China is predicted to surpass that of the U.S. by 2012.

While China’s commitment to renewable energy is expensive, the renewable energy fees charged are still not high enough to affect the competiveness of China in energy-related industries.  And as prices for energy have decreased, the country increasingly looks to sell equipment abroad- and has encountered opposition from competitors like the United States in the process.

“Every country, including the United States and Europe, wants a low cost of renewable energy,” stated Ma Lingjuan, who serves as the managing director of China’s renewable energy association.   This certainly holds true.  If the reason so many do not turn to renewable energy is attributed to cost, could China be the solution?  Who will ultimately win the global race for clean energy?

As they say, only time will tell.

For more information on this issue, visit the Energy and Environment section of the New York Times.