[energy123]

Last year, China installed 1.5GW of nuclear and 300GW of renewables. China's total coal use decreased as they decommissioned and under-utilized more coal than they installed.

This same pattern is occurring everywhere, regardless of local politics or local economic system. See Texas as another example.

It's because new renewables is superior at contemporary market prices. Markets have decided. Governments have decided. Everyone has decided.

It's so boring to relitigate this constantly on HN. It's like debating whether the sky is blue. Ridiculous that this comes up so often.

[leonidasrup]

1 GW of renewables is not equivalent to 1 GW of nuclear or coal capacity,you need backup.

China is still building large amount of new coal power plants. In 2025, construction began on 83GW of new coal capacity – down from 98GW in 2024.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/rush-for-new-coal-in-china-hits-...

For comparision the total EU’s existing coal fleet is 109 GW.

https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/coal-is-not-making-...

The growth Chinas coal consumption is slowing down, but still growth no reduction in 2026.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulat...

[energy123]

However you may try to put lipstick on a pig, the core of the matter is unchanged. China's coal use decreased, and they barely install any nuclear compared to renewables.

[leonidasrup]

Don't present China as a green champion. China's total coal use increased, China's coal use for electricity production has decreased.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-coal-power-drops-in-chi...

Coal has many uses in China in comparison with US

https://www.iea.org/countries/china/coal

https://www.iea.org/countries/united-states/coal

For example China has strongly expanded in making liquid fuels from coal.

"China consumes about 380 million metric tons of coal as a feedstock for chemical and liquid fuel production, representing about 8% of the country’s total coal consumption of 4,939 million metric tons."

The amount of coal that China uses only as a feedstock for chemical and liquid fuel production is bigger than total coal consumption in Europe or total coal consumption in US.

https://thecoalhub.com/china-consumes-almost-400-mt-of-coal-...

https://asiatimes.com/2025/07/chinas-climate-gambit-bet-on-c...