Newswise – The push for renewable energy is critical to combating climate change, with wind power at the forefront. As a leading emitter of greenhouse gases, China has embarked on a transformative path towards greener alternatives and is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060. This ambitious goal is driven by the rapid growth of wind energy, driven by technological advances and cost reductions. China’s proactive stance not only demonstrates its commitment to environmental sustainability, but also positions it as a potential leader in the global transition to renewable energy sources.
In a current one study (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2023.100323), published in Volume 19 of the journal Environmental science and ecotechnologya joint research group led by Prof. Xi LU from the School of Environment and the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University presents an innovative method to assess the economic feasibility and market advantage of onshore wind energy compared to traditional energy sources.
This study highlights China’s significant progress in wind energy adoption, which is critical to its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. The share of wind energy in the Chinese electricity mix has risen sharply and has reached a value of 6.1% with 466.5 TWh of energy produced. The aim is to reach a capacity of 2,500 GW of wind power potential by 2060, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Many existing analyzes have not adequately taken into account the rapid decline in the cost of generating electricity from wind power observed in recent years, often making projections of cost declines that are more conservative than actual trends.
Given the increasing importance of spatial and temporal dynamics to the economic competitiveness of wind energy for China’s decarbonization strategy, this research developed a comprehensive model to assess the technical and economic feasibility of onshore wind energy in the country. The evaluation was carried out with a high spatial resolution of 0.0625° longitude and 0.0625° latitude and covered a period from 2020 to 2060. The results show a huge technical wind power potential of up to 53.9 PWh at the national level, which is about 7.2 times the electricity consumption in 2020. The average levelized cost of electricity for wind energy is expected to decrease from 0.39 kWh to CNY 0.39-1 in 2020 to 0.30 CNY and 0.21 kWh-1 in 2030 and 2060. 28.3%, 67.6% and 97.6% of the technical potential keep electricity costs lower than coal power in 2020, 2030 and 2060.
From the perspective of spatial and temporal precision of assessment, the study represents a significant advance in our understanding of wind power potential in China. The innovative approach not only illuminates the evolving economics of wind energy, but also provides a robust framework for integrating renewable energy sources into it national carbon neutrality strategies. This research is an important contribution to ongoing research on renewable energy and climate protection.
This breakthrough highlights the feasibility of integrating wind energy into the energy mix at lower costs, paving the way for sustainable energy solutions. The results highlight the importance of advancing renewable energy technologies and policies and contribute significantly to global efforts toward environmental sustainability.
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References
DOI
Original source URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2023.100323
Financing information
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (72025401, 71974108, 72140003 and 72204132), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation BX2021148, the Shuimu Tsinghua Scholar Program 2021SM014, the Tsinghua University-Inditex Sustainable Development Fund and Erdos – Tsinghua University Collaborative Innovation Project, Interdisciplinary Program of the Tsinghua-Toyota Joint Research Institute.
Around Environmental science and ecotechnology
Environmental science and ecotechnology (ISSN 2666-4984) is an international, peer-reviewed and open access journal published by Elsevier. The journal publishes key views and research across the spectrum of ecology and environmental sciences, such as climate change, sustainability, biodiversity conservation, environment and health, green catalysis/processing for pollution control, and AI-driven environmental engineering. According to the Journal Citation Report, ESE’s current impact factor is 12.6TM 2022.