[matt4077]

That's a very convenient myth.

It misses the fact that China didn't build power plants out where it's too far away from civilisation to be useful.

Transmission losses are also nowhere near the suggested values. 1.5% per 200 miles is today's standard. Meaning you could cross all of China with a loss of:

    east-west axis: 2200 miles
    0.985^(2200 miles / 200miles) = 0.846 = 15.4% loss

(and that's from the farthest desert to the east coast. Go south instead, or note that there actually are a billion people living in inland China, and actual losses are <5%)

[vog]

Thanks for making this clear.