Renewable Energy Prospects in China – An overview of the recently released REmap Report

As the largest energy consumer in the world, China must play a pivotal role in the global transition to a sustainable energy future in an increasingly carbon-constrained world. The country is already a global leader in renewable energy, with massive potential to harness a diverse range of renewable sources and technologies, both for power generation and for end-use sectors. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will hold a webinar on 15 January about the findings and implications of a new country report in the REmap 2030 series, Renewable Energy Prospects: China. The online discussion will provide an overview of the report, touching on the current energy landscape of China, recent developments, the potential to significantly scale up renewable energy by 2030, and related costs, benefits and carbon dioxide impact.

REmap 2030, the global roadmap prepared by IRENA, assesses how countries can work together to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. Under current policies and investment patterns, the share of renewables in China’s energy mix is projected to only reach 17% by 2030 compared to 13% in 2010. REmap analysis, however, shows that the country could realistically and affordably scale up renewables to 26%.