https://www.scmp.com/rss/518868/feed Solar energy is the one of the most-produced renewable energy. Generating electricity from solar radiation requires solar panels, whose manufacturing costs have fallen over 90 per cent in the past decade, allowing it to become the fastest-growing clean energy. Proliferation of solar energy production is a key solution for the world to cut energy-related emissions and fight climate change. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Beijing says it firmly opposes the European Commission’s decision to cut EU funding for clean energy projects that use Chinese inverters, denouncing the move as “unfair and discriminatory” and vowing to take action to defend the interests of its firms. “Without any substantive evidence, the European side has for the first time designated China as a so-called ‘high-risk country’ … this constitutes a smearing of China,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Thursday. It warned that... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352796/china-vows-action-after-eu-cuts-funding-green-projects-using-chinese-inverters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3352796/china-vows-action-after-eu-cuts-funding-green-projects-using-chinese-inverters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 12:28:05 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Canadian Solar, one of the industry’s most exposed players to US-China tensions, is expanding the role of its Hong Kong operations as it reshapes its global business to weather a deepening downturn and rising geopolitical pressure, positioning the city as a hub for financing, talent and technology development, according to its board director. The Nasdaq-listed group, founded in 2001 by Chinese entrepreneur Shawn Qu, has been grappling with increasingly stringent compliance requirements from... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352524/canadian-solar-elevates-hong-kong-role-amid-industry-slump-and-geopolitical-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352524/canadian-solar-elevates-hong-kong-role-amid-industry-slump-and-geopolitical-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham Xiaofei Xu,Finbarr Bermingham The EU has taken its most direct step yet to cut Chinese clean energy hardware out of publicly funded projects, banning Chinese inverters from all EU-funded schemes in a move Brussels described as the first in a series of actions targeting high-risk suppliers. “We decided we will take concrete action right now … that has included developing guidance on restricting the use of EU funds for projects involving inverters from high-risk suppliers,” European Commission spokeswoman Siobhan McGarry said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352435/brussels-bans-chinese-inverters-eu-funded-power-projects-connected-european-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352435/brussels-bans-chinese-inverters-eu-funded-power-projects-connected-european-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:57:16 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s first large-scale project to supply renewable energy directly to data centres started operating on Saturday. The opening of the plant in the northwestern region of Ningxia, a major centre for wind and solar power, comes as Beijing tries to balance increased demand for electricity and computing power with its decarbonisation goals. The project has a solar capacity of 500 megawatts – with a further 1.5 gigawatts of wind power planned by the end of the year – and is integrated to a cloud... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352270/china-powers-first-green-energy-project-direct-link-data-centre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352270/china-powers-first-green-energy-project-direct-link-data-centre?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 09:29:14 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Chinese solar exports surged in March, doubling to a record high as demand accelerated across dozens of markets, according to a new report. The spike comes as global energy systems react to renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the dual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran and the US. The Persian Gulf shipping corridor, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas flows, has become a focal pressure point amid escalating tensions that began on February 28 with US-Israel... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351938/crisis-surge-or-lasting-shift-chinas-solar-exports-double-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351938/crisis-surge-or-lasting-shift-chinas-solar-exports-double-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:08:29 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China Resources Power (CRP), one of the largest mainland power producers listed in Hong Kong, has received approval to spin off its renewable energy arm for a separate listing in Shenzhen, marking a key step in a years-long plan to tap capital markets amid strong demand for new energy. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s listing committee approved the proposed A-share offering of China Resources New Energy Holdings on April 28, according to a filing by CRP. The deal, however, still required... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351785/china-resources-power-wins-shenzhen-nod-renewable-energy-units-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351785/china-resources-power-wins-shenzhen-nod-renewable-energy-units-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:15:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US clean energy installations are forecast to hit another record this year – and account for the vast majority of new power additions – despite facing policy opposition from the Trump administration, according to a trade industry report. The nation’s power sector is expected to add about 60 gigawatts of solar, battery storage and wind capacity in 2026, the American Clean Power (ACP) Association said in its annual market assessment published on Tuesday. That is up 20 per cent from over 50... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351745/us-green-power-growth-hit-another-record-2026-despite-trump-says-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351745/us-green-power-growth-hit-another-record-2026-despite-trump-says-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:59:08 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China’s solar giant Sungrow Power Supply has filed a fresh application to list in Hong Kong, reviving plans initiated last year, as a wave of mainland companies seeks offshore funding to support overseas expansion. The Shenzhen-listed solar inverter and energy storage system maker submitted its latest application proof to the Hong Kong stock exchange after an earlier filing in October lapsed, according to exchange disclosures late on Friday. Sungrow, one of the world’s largest suppliers of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351515/chinas-solar-giant-sungrow-revives-hong-kong-ipo-plan-amid-rising-demand-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351515/chinas-solar-giant-sungrow-revives-hong-kong-ipo-plan-amid-rising-demand-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 03:55:24 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang As the US-Israel war on Iran raises global concerns about energy security, a new report has found that the clean power sector is rapidly gaining ground and emerging as a solution for nations looking to reduce their reliance on oil and gas imports. The world passed a significant turning point in 2025 as clean power generation rose faster than global demand for electricity, preventing an increase in fossil fuel generation, according to the study by London-based energy think tank Ember released on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350759/turning-point-clean-energy-met-100-worlds-new-power-needs-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350759/turning-point-clean-energy-met-100-worlds-new-power-needs-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:01:07 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350411/chinas-energy-mismatch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3350411/chinas-energy-mismatch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:47:44 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Amid heightening global anxieties over energy security fuelled by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, China’s top energy regulator has pledged to accelerate the development of its hydrogen industry, hailing the fuel as a “strategic lever” to fortify national energy resilience. The National Energy Administration (NEA) called for “bold innovation” in the sector during a recent meeting reviewing the progress of hydrogen pilots and outlining future tasks, according to an official readout... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350313/china-fast-tracks-hydrogen-strategy-scale-phase-high-stakes-energy-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350313/china-fast-tracks-hydrogen-strategy-scale-phase-high-stakes-energy-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese energy storage firm Sigenergy has ignited a market frenzy with its initial public offering (IPO) plan in Hong Kong, drawing an oversubscription of over 1,000 times, while its listed peer Guoxia Technology enjoyed a rally, as the duo capitalise on the artificial intelligence boom. Shanghai-based Sigenergy, which aims to raise HK$4.4 billion (US$561.6 million) in its IPO, is expected to be 1,414 times oversubscribed, as retail investors borrowed HK$358.6 billion from 17 brokerages,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350082/how-chinese-energy-storage-firms-sigenergy-guoxia-excited-investors-leveraging-ai-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350082/how-chinese-energy-storage-firms-sigenergy-guoxia-excited-investors-leveraging-ai-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:21:33 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi The chairmen of China’s battery and solar giants have called for more top-down regulations to rein in cutthroat competition, warning that unchecked overcapacity is squeezing profits and threatening the industry’s stability. Despite tailwinds including the Middle East conflict that could increase demand for renewable products, overcapacity remains a major challenge for industry players. Zhang Tianren, chairman of Tianneng Holding Group – ranked second behind Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3349627/chinas-battery-solar-bosses-urge-top-down-rules-overcapacity-clouds-industry-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3349627/chinas-battery-solar-bosses-urge-top-down-rules-overcapacity-clouds-industry-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Global efforts to diversify energy sources are set to accelerate as the US-Israel conflict with Iran inflicts an unprecedented disruption on global supplies, analysts said, even as Washington and Tehran reportedly negotiate a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. While the two sides have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, they remain at odds over details of reopening the strategic waterway. Despite the promised pause in hostilities, the conflict has already dealt a massive blow to international energy... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349391/global-pivot-renewables-seen-accelerating-hormuz-uncertainty-upends-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349391/global-pivot-renewables-seen-accelerating-hormuz-uncertainty-upends-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has completed one of Southeast Asia’s largest solar power projects in Laos, at a time when regional economies are stepping up efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels amid global energy disruptions in the Persian Gulf. The initial phase of the 1 gigawatt (GW) solar project was officially connected to the grid on Tuesday, becoming the country’s first large-scale mountainous photovoltaic installation. Located in northern Laos, the installation is expected to generate about 1.65 billion... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349382/china-backed-solar-project-powers-laos-amid-iran-war-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349382/china-backed-solar-project-powers-laos-amid-iran-war-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:12 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China has broken ground on a 50-megawatt concentrated solar power plant in Tibet at an altitude of 4,550 metres (14,900 feet), making it the world’s highest-altitude parabolic trough solar thermal facility. The project, located in Dangxiong County, incorporates a 400-megawatt photovoltaic system and is scheduled for full operation by 2027, Xinhua reported. Preparatory digging at the site began on Monday. Global energy supplies have grown increasingly volatile in recent years, due to climate... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349255/china-starts-work-solar-plant-built-under-extreme-conditions-amid-global-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349255/china-starts-work-solar-plant-built-under-extreme-conditions-amid-global-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:58:07 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China’s abundant renewable power and government support could bring a once prohibitively expensive green energy solution into the mainstream – hydrogen. Extensive access to low-cost solar and wind power could let the country produce huge quantities of hydrogen in an environmentally friendly and affordable manner. The government is also stoking demand for the zero-emission fuel, potentially creating incentives for investors to put money into the infrastructure needed for production and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/climate-and-energy/article/3348964/green-hydrogen-drive-may-help-china-reach-carbon-neutral-goal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/climate-and-energy/article/3348964/green-hydrogen-drive-may-help-china-reach-carbon-neutral-goal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As global supply volatility intensifies, Premier Li Qiang has called for faster development of a “new-type power system” to accelerate the green transition and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sector. During a three-day visit to the southwestern province of Sichuan, Li stressed the need to expand green electricity supply and optimise the energy mix to bolster security and support economic growth. He urged market players to explore new grid architectures, improve system-wide... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348764/premier-li-qiang-pushes-ai-powered-next-gen-energy-system-amid-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348764/premier-li-qiang-pushes-ai-powered-next-gen-energy-system-amid-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:10:42 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Amid turmoil in the Middle East, including the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil passes, Beijing is pressing ahead with its Zhuri (sun-chasing) project to build solar power stations in space. Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and senior rocket scientist Long Lehao likened this space-based solar power programme to putting the Three Gorges Dam into geostationary orbit, underscoring its extraordinary scale and ambition.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347692/why-chinas-space-based-solar-power-next-frontier-green-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347692/why-chinas-space-based-solar-power-next-frontier-green-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Andy Xie Andy Xie The Iran war’s oil shock has dramatically increased the security risk for oil-dependent countries, incentivising a turn towards renewable energy. This impact will outlast the war and oil price spikes because the world knows this war will recur. China will be the biggest beneficiary and its exports are likely to do very well this year, offsetting losses from buying higher-priced oil. A fifth of the global supply of oil and liquefied natural gas plus a third of seaborne fertilisers traditionally... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347634/oil-shocked-world-turns-renewables-china-will-reap-rewards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347634/oil-shocked-world-turns-renewables-china-will-reap-rewards?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese stocks have emerged as outperformers in the latest oil shock, reversing their reputation as laggards, as crude takes a back seat to renewable fuels in the world’s second-largest economy. The CSI 300 Index of stocks trading on the mainland’s exchanges has dropped 3.1 per cent since the US and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, outperforming the S&P 500, the Euro Stoxx 50 and Japan’s Nikkei 225, which have all slid at least 4 per cent during the period. This marked a turnaround... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347296/chinese-stocks-shake-laggard-image-amid-oil-shock-green-transition-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347296/chinese-stocks-shake-laggard-image-amid-oil-shock-green-transition-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:15:30 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro As the war in Iran rages and the consequences of the shock to commodity markets become clearer, the vulnerability of Asia’s economies tops the list of concerns in the research reports of investment banks. The region’s reliance on energy imports from the Gulf has come under scrutiny. The facts speak for themselves. Three-quarters of the oil supplies that passed through the Strait of Hormuz before Iran effectively closed the waterway were destined for China, India, Japan and South Korea. While... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347108/china-weathering-iran-war-oil-shock-better-others-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347108/china-weathering-iran-war-oil-shock-better-others-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China is offering solar energy to Cuba, an old ally left without power amid the US oil embargo, in a show of strength for Chinese renewable-energy credentials and a sign of Beijing’s economic footprint in Latin America. Beijing’s ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, on Monday outlined joint energy projects in progress as part of an effort to ease a “complex power situation” in the Caribbean nation, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “China has always maintained that Latin America and the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346978/china-help-cuba-solar-energy-amid-us-oil-blockade-and-total-power-outage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346978/china-help-cuba-solar-energy-amid-us-oil-blockade-and-total-power-outage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Ambuj Sahu Ambuj Sahu In April 2020, as the world struggled with the Covid-19 pandemic and soldiers from India and China moved towards a large-scale border stand-off, New Delhi amended its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy to require prior government approval for all investments from countries sharing a land border with India – a measure directed at China. Nearly six years on, India has changed its FDI policy again. It is a significant move for India-China relations. During the pandemic, the FDI regulation... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346614/indias-reopening-chinese-investment-reflects-strategic-pragmatism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346614/indias-reopening-chinese-investment-reflects-strategic-pragmatism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Betting on rising global demand for energy storage, shares of Chinese lithium battery makers continued to rally on Wednesday, led by Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), which reported stronger-than-expected growth driven in part by its expansion into new energy storage markets. CATL shares surged more than 10 per cent to HK$608 during morning trading hours in Hong Kong on Wednesday – the highest level in five months – before closing 9 per cent higher at HK$599.50. That followed another 9... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346229/catl-profit-jump-fuels-hong-kong-battery-stocks-amid-global-energy-storage-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3346229/catl-profit-jump-fuels-hong-kong-battery-stocks-amid-global-energy-storage-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to accelerate the roll-out of rooftop solar power is falling short of targets despite heavy subsidies due to loan delays and limited support from state utilities, vendors and analysts say. The shortfalls represent the latest challenge to India’s efforts to nearly double clean energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030, and come as the government plans to suspend clean energy tendering targets amid a mounting backlog of awarded projects yet to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343665/indias-solar-power-push-misses-targets-red-tape-loan-refusals-hamper-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343665/indias-solar-power-push-misses-targets-red-tape-loan-refusals-hamper-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:48:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has issued a central directive to dismantle the administrative walls dividing China’s electricity sector, signalling a decisive shift towards a unified national power market designed to support the country’s energy security and green transition. A decade into its power-sector overhaul, China is doubling down on market unity during the just-started 15th five-year planning period. These structural shifts are widely seen as indispensable to the nation’s 2030 carbon-peak target, as the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343329/china-dismantle-local-power-protectionism-push-electrify-national-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343329/china-dismantle-local-power-protectionism-push-electrify-national-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been sounding out multiple Chinese solar suppliers in recent weeks, industry insiders and companies confirmed, as the world’s richest man advances his vision for space-based data centres powered by constant solar energy – drawing fresh attention to China’s solar supply chain. The discussions, which have not yet resulted in confirmed orders, triggered a rally in shares of several solar-related companies earlier this week, before sentiment cooled on Thursday. Analysts and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342557/space-computing-push-elon-musks-spacex-shines-beam-chinas-solar-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342557/space-computing-push-elon-musks-spacex-shines-beam-chinas-solar-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Tibet’s exploitable solar, wind and hydropower resources alone could theoretically meet all of China’s energy needs, government survey data suggests. According to researchers from the China Society for Hydropower Engineering and the state-owned Power Construction Corporation of China, the technically exploitable capacity of hydropower in Tibet could reach 178 gigawatts, and more than 100GW for wind power. They said the development potential of solar power could reach 10,000GW, which is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342334/tibets-exploitable-green-power-could-meet-chinas-energy-needs-official-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342334/tibets-exploitable-green-power-could-meet-chinas-energy-needs-official-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:02:04 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang A profound energy transformation is reshaping Shanxi, China’s traditional coal heartland, where renewable power capacity has officially surpassed coal-fired generation, marking a historic turning point for one of the nation’s most carbon-intensive economies. The central province’s installed capacity for new energy surged to 90.48 million kilowatts in 2025 – a year-on-year increase of 18.29 million kW – vaulting renewables past the halfway point to claim 55.1 per cent of Shanxi’s total... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342241/shanxis-green-leap-renewables-surpass-coal-chinas-energy-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342241/shanxis-green-leap-renewables-surpass-coal-chinas-energy-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:03:11 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Chinese scientists have developed a hydrogel cooling coating for solar panels to boost power output by 13 per cent compared to conventional photovoltaic systems. The transparent layer can reduce the temperature of “hotspots” – overheated areas on solar cells caused by defects, shading from leaves, bird droppings or dirt – by 16 degrees Celsius (nearly 30 Fahrenheit). Hotspots are a common cause of solar panel failure and fire risk. “On a global scale, our developed cooling strategy can offset... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341723/chinese-teams-hydrogel-coating-boosts-solar-panel-power-output-13-ideal-hot-regions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341723/chinese-teams-hydrogel-coating-boosts-solar-panel-power-output-13-ideal-hot-regions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo In the science and tech race, China is steadily advancing while America is retreating. That’s the conclusion of multiple Western studies. US President Donald Trump’s own policies have greatly contributed to this trajectory. Several salient features in this race for supremacy have been identified: China’s highly focused state support of science and tech, America’s federal defunding of them, and a nation of engineers and science graduates versus a nation of lawyers. “China is an engineering state... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341319/steadfast-state-support-key-china-winning-tech-race-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341319/steadfast-state-support-key-china-winning-tech-race-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The economic benefits of China’s abundant and cheap supply of electricity were recognised by US tech billionaire Elon Musk and other speakers at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. As the United States and the European Union contemplate how to catch up, Tesla CEO Musk said the artificial intelligence (AI) industry was facing an energy bottleneck around the globe – with AI chips being produced rapidly and electricity output struggling to keep up – apart from the notable... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340968/davos-debut-musk-highlights-key-china-advantage-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340968/davos-debut-musk-highlights-key-china-advantage-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 07:34:46 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s “infrastructure first” approach to developing its artificial intelligence industry will help unlock frontier innovation in the fast-moving technology, according to the president of Kimi model developer Moonshot AI. The country’s energy buildout had made the supply of electricity “very cheap”, which was essential for fundamental research and innovation, said Moonshot’s Zhang Yutong in Wednesday’s panel discussion on China’s “AI Plus” strategy at the World Economic Forum in Davos,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340842/chinas-infrastructure-first-approach-major-advantage-ai-arms-race-davos-panel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340842/chinas-infrastructure-first-approach-major-advantage-ai-arms-race-davos-panel?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:45:11 +0000 Roberto Bocca Roberto Bocca For much of the past decade, the energy transition debate has largely revolved around one question: can clean technologies work at scale? That is increasingly being answered. Solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) have moved into the mainstream as key technologies become more cost-effective, efficient and faster to deploy. In many markets, these energy sources are no longer the future of energy; they are the present. The challenge is no longer simply proving that more... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340218/energy-transitions-next-big-challenge-systems-integration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340218/energy-transitions-next-big-challenge-systems-integration?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Luna Sun,Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong Luna Sun,Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong China’s state-owned power grid giant has pledged to increase fixed-asset investment by 40 per cent over the next five years, at a time when some analysts view electricity capacity as a strategic asset in the US-China rivalry amid soaring demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and other power-hungry industries. The State Grid Corporation of China expects the investment amount to reach 4 trillion yuan (US$574 billion) through 2030, a company record, as it accelerates efforts to build a “new-type... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340194/ai-reshaping-us-china-tech-race-can-electricity-tilt-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340194/ai-reshaping-us-china-tech-race-can-electricity-tilt-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin As China pushes to take the global lead in building space-based solar power stations, a new study warns that powerful lasers beaming energy back to Earth could pose serious risks to other satellites in the increasingly crowded low-Earth orbit. If these beams miss their targets – because of tracking errors or system malfunctions – they could strike nearby spacecraft, overheat solar panels or trigger electrical discharges, according to a team from the Beijing Institute of Satellite Environment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339829/chinese-risk-study-finds-space-solar-power-stations-could-accidentally-zap-satellites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339829/chinese-risk-study-finds-space-solar-power-stations-could-accidentally-zap-satellites?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Overseas solar panel buyers are facing price increases as Chinese manufacturers look set to pass on higher costs to customers amid rising silver prices and the impending withdrawal of an export tax rebate. Trina Solar, one of the world’s top four solar module makers by shipment volume, hiked its average selling prices by 3.5-3.66 per cent, to around 0.85-0.89 yuan per watt, according to a Tuesday note by Citibank. The Shanghai-listed company ships modules – a key solar panel component – to over... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339693/chinese-solar-firms-eye-price-hikes-amid-silver-surge-scrapping-tax-rebate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339693/chinese-solar-firms-eye-price-hikes-amid-silver-surge-scrapping-tax-rebate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:30:10 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s efforts to rein in cutthroat price wars in the solar industry have had the unintended result of creating risks of alleged price rigging, highlighting what analysts describe as an “uneasy balance” between the government’s anti-involution campaign and anti-monopoly policies. The photovoltaic industry has been among the hardest hit by vicious price wars – known as involution, or neijuan-style competition – that have affected several sectors in China in recent years, squeezing companies’... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339572/chinas-solar-firms-once-deemed-too-competitive-now-face-monopoly-accusations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339572/chinas-solar-firms-once-deemed-too-competitive-now-face-monopoly-accusations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China will cut export subsidies for solar panels and batteries in the coming months, a move mainly aimed at curbing domestic overcompetition and consolidating two sectors where China is dominant, said analysts who also expect it will help ease trade tensions with Europe. Authorities will cancel export value-added tax rebates for solar panels and lower rebates for batteries from 9 per cent to 6 per cent from April 1. The rebates for batteries will be cancelled on January 1, 2027, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339430/goodwill-or-necessity-why-china-slashing-solar-and-battery-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339430/goodwill-or-necessity-why-china-slashing-solar-and-battery-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 09:13:00 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China has developed smart power grid technology that cuts blackout recovery time to a 10th of a second, according to state media, which said the innovation was expected to play a bigger role in ensuring the safe and stable distribution of electricity worldwide. The grid protection technology enables power grid faults to be isolated and restored within a hundred-millisecond window, compared with the hours otherwise required, according to a Science and Technology Daily report on Tuesday. It also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339077/china-sends-01-second-blackout-recovery-technology-protect-power-grids-12-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339077/china-sends-01-second-blackout-recovery-technology-protect-power-grids-12-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang – https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338984/price-wars-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338984/price-wars-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 02:55:43 +0000 Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Yujie Xue,Mia Nurmamat Wind turbines in blustery Tibet are a symbol of China’s rapid investment in renewable energy. The only problem is that much of this potential power goes to waste. Thirty per cent of Tibetan wind energy was lost in the first 10 months of last year, as production had to be paused to avoid overloading the power network. Sunny Qinghai province similarly had to curtail 16.4 per cent of its solar energy in the same period, according to China’s National Energy Administration. China is seeking to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3338885/china-ai-mega-batteries-stoke-renewables-power-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:15 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Silver is the new rare earth, at least when it comes to China’s export controls on strategic commodities. The Ministry of Commerce now requires companies to apply for a two-year special licence for exports of silver, as well as tungsten and antimony. That has intensified the global spotlight on the metal, whose prices already exploded in 2025, outperforming even gold. The latest move is not just about silver, but an indication that China is refining its list of strategic materials beyond rare... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338897/amid-rivalry-us-silver-can-be-seen-chinas-new-industrial-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338897/amid-rivalry-us-silver-can-be-seen-chinas-new-industrial-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China aims to expand its west-to-east power transmission network to more than 420 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, increasing the share of renewables to about 30 per cent of total electricity output as it pursues a greener transition and a more reliable power supply. The targets were outlined in guidelines issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner, together with the National Energy Administration. In addition to strengthening long-distance transmission... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338522/china-vows-ramp-west-east-power-output-ai-hi-tech-manufacturing-fuel-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338522/china-vows-ramp-west-east-power-output-ai-hi-tech-manufacturing-fuel-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 02:00:20 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh China is often described today as having “overcapacity” in manufacturing. Its dominance in solar panels, batteries and wind equipment, for example, has left many observers baffled. How did a country once dismissed as undeveloped become, within a generation, so technologically developed that its success now unsettles global markets? Part of the answer lies in how we frame China’s development. What is often described as excess capacity is better understood as the outcome of an energy-centred... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3336783/arguing-about-chinas-overcapacity-overlooks-its-drive-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3336783/arguing-about-chinas-overcapacity-overlooks-its-drive-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Hiba Malik Hiba Malik In the first three quarters of this year, China added 310 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, up 47.7 per cent year on year and accounting for 84.4 per cent of all new power installations in the country, according to the National Energy Administration. This progress is more than climate leadership or capacity building; it involves a holistic reconstruction of the energy system. China is replacing the 20th-century fossil fuel order with a 21st-century “electro-industrial order” where power... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335658/how-china-cementing-its-central-role-architect-green-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3335658/how-china-cementing-its-central-role-architect-green-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Over the Hexi Corridor, a ribbon of fertile land on the edge of the Gobi Desert blessed by the Yellow River in western China, a gleaming forest of wind turbines and solar farms stretches to the horizon. This is Gansu, China’s renewables frontier, a major source of wind and solar energy. And yet, just beyond the dunes, another giant stirs. At the Changle Power Plant, turbines roar to life as another 1-gigawatt coal unit comes online – six reactors now pulsing with the energy that could meet the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333674/why-chinas-mega-coal-fired-power-plants-thrive-amid-green-energy-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3333674/why-chinas-mega-coal-fired-power-plants-thrive-amid-green-energy-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 22:00:18 +0000 Wang Huiyao,Zhi Wang Wang Huiyao,Zhi Wang The world stands at a crossroads, amid an accelerating climate crisis, geopolitical tensions reshaping global trade and the demand from Global South nations to exercise their right to industrialise without repeating the polluting mistakes of the past. A new consensus is urgently needed that moves beyond zero-sum competition and towards collaborative solutions. The path to decarbonisation creates a trilemma of competing interests that threatens progress for all. First, Western anxieties must be... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3332346/global-green-industrialisation-initiative-can-have-win-win-win-outcome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3332346/global-green-industrialisation-initiative-can-have-win-win-win-outcome?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s solar industry association has pledged to “fight to the end” to curb cutthroat competition driven by oversupply, vowing to restore fair market order through industry self-discipline. “Don’t underestimate the determination behind the policy,” Liu Yiyang, executive secretary general of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA), said in a post on his private WeChat Moments social media feed, according to a report by Jiemian News, a business news website based in Shanghai. “We will... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332587/chinas-solar-industry-vows-fight-end-against-cutthroat-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332587/chinas-solar-industry-vows-fight-end-against-cutthroat-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 07:00:13 +0000