Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
China establishing new benchmarks for wind power leadership, or is it simply
a small part of an all-out efort on the part of the CPC to keep up with bur-
geoning demand for energy in whatever way that works?
In this chapter, sociopolitical economic inluences on wind power devel-
opment will be examined with an intention to try to explain China's remark-
able recent achievements in wind power. he reader will ind that wind
power policy in China is not just about energy economics; rather, it is a tale
of pragmatic planning, strategic foresight, and gradualist politics.
6.2 AN OVERVIEW OF ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN CHINA
Due to the dual distinction of being the world's most populous nation and
the world's fastest-growing economy over the past decade, total primary
energy (TPE) consumption in China has mushroomed. Upon irst glance of
Figure 6.1, it appears that China's growth in TPE consumption over the past
decade has merely kept pace with global growth trends (top of Figure 6.1).
However, closer examination reveals a more engaging fact—China's TPE
consumption growth has largely
driven
the global increase (bottom of
Figure 6.1). Between 2000 and 2010, growth in China's TPE consumption
accounted for 53% of the global increase. China's TPE consumption now
accounts for a whopping 20.3% of global energy consumption. Only the
14000
12000
10000
8000
China
World
6000
4000
2000
0
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
Figure 6.1
. Primary Energy Consumption Trends 2000-2010
Source of data
: BP (2011).
