.gif)
A man stands in front of a wind turbine in Gansu province, where China is building the world's largest wind farm. (Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters.)
Grid leap forward
To much fanfare, Obama recently committed $3.4 billion to "smart grid" electric modernization. Now China is investing $670 billion.
It’s no secret that China has embraced alternative energy on a massive scale. The Three Gorges Dam in China’s Sichuan Province is the world’s largest electric plant. It has a capacity of 18.3 gigawatts, enough that it could support the entire state of Alabama.
Now, in rural Gansu province to the north, the government is building a wind farm slated to generate even more power than the dam.
But financing and constructing these mega-projects is only part of the challenge. Getting the electricity to consumers is an equally formidable task, and one that so far hasn’t kept pace.
To date, China has only installed 12 percent of the 100 gigawatts of wind power it expects to have in place by 2020. But last year, more than a fifth of its wind power capacity went to waste because the electric grid could not deliver the energy to coastal “load centers” thirsty for energy to fuel the economic boom....
Editor's note: the remainder of this article is restricted to members of GlobalPost Passport. Continue reading if you are a Passport member.
Passport helps GlobalPost support its worldwide news operation. By joining, you'll get exclusive in-depth reporting, regular access to our foreign correspondents, and a voice in the topics Passport covers. Support GlobalPost by becoming a member of our inner circle. Learn more about Passport's innovative community.
Recent on China and its neighbors:
Turkmenistan: The new Great Game
Miriam Elder - Asia - November 28, 2009 10:08 ET
Europe, Russia and China battle for access to Turkmenistan's energy resources.
The Dog Meat Mafia: Corruption
Patrick Winn - Thailand - November 27, 2009 10:51 ET
The dark underbelly of a booming trade in dog meat
The Dog Meat Mafia: Conscience
Patrick Winn - Thailand - November 27, 2009 10:51 ET
Is Southeast Asia's booming dog meat industry animal cruelty? Or taking out society's trash?
.jpg)
The ethical dilemma in your holiday stocking
Thomas Mucha - Commerce - November 27, 2009 08:43 ET
Do you know who made your iPhone? And does it matter?
What China expects from the Copenhagen climate talks
William Dowell - Global Green - November 23, 2009 20:54 ET
An interview with Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Dong Jinyi.
Video: The Chinese on Obama
Josh Chin - China and its neighbors - November 23, 2009 11:32 ET
Obama in Beijing: What you will see. And won't see.
Kathleen E. McLaughlin - China and its neighbors - November 23, 2009 11:16 ET
In China, anything is possible. Nothing is easy.
Special report: Silicon Sweatshops
Jonathan Adams and Kathleen E. McLaughlin - China and its neighbors - November 23, 2009 10:51 ET
Despite strict "codes of conduct," labor rights violations are the norm at factories making the world's favorite high-tech gadgets.
Taiwan: Want to get away?
Jonathan Adams - China and its neighbors - November 23, 2009 07:08 ET
Then consider Wang An, a windswept island far from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Taiwan. Except for those bombs.
Grid leap forward
Jordan Calinoff - China and its neighbors - November 20, 2009 14:03 ET
To much fanfare, Obama recently committed $3.4 billion to "smart grid" electric modernization. Now China is investing $670 billion.
Analysis: Obama in China: It's about the money
Kathleen E. McLaughlin - China and its neighbors - November 18, 2009 10:57 ET
How, and why, Obama is treating the dragon differently.
Silicon Sweatshops: A promising model
Jonathan Adams and Kathleen E. McLaughlin - China and its neighbors - November 18, 2009 06:54 ET
There's no easy way to police supply chains in Asia. But one US high-tech firm and its Taiwan supplier are taking a creative approach that might just work.
.jpg)
What do you think about Silicon Sweatshops?
News Desk - China and its neighbors - November 17, 2009 15:04 ET
Are high-tech supply chains in Asia good business or exploitation? You decide.
Silicon Sweatshops: Shattered dreams
Jonathan Adams - China and its neighbors - November 17, 2009 07:24 ET
Migrant workers making gadgets at Taiwan's high-tech parks sign deals that make them modern-day indentured servants.
Silicon Sweatshops: The China connection
Kathleen E. McLaughlin and Jonathan Adams - China and its neighbors - November 17, 2009 07:22 ET
For migrant workers, an electronics factory job can be a ticket into China's booming middle class. But for many, it turns into a nightmare of poor working conditions and indifferent bosses.
Silicon Sweatshops: The China connection
Kathleen E. McLaughlin and Jonathan Adams - China and its neighbors - November 17, 2009 07:22 ET
For migrant workers, an electronics factory job can be a ticket into China's booming middle class. But for many, it turns into a nightmare of poor working conditions and indifferent bosses.
Silicon Sweatshops: Disposable workforce
Jonathan Adams - China and its neighbors - November 17, 2009 07:22 ET
Laid-off Taiwanese workers accuse their firm of violating industry codes even when times were good.
Silicon Sweatshops: A gallery
Sharron Lovell and Jonathan Adams - China and its neighbors - November 17, 2009 06:48 ET
Watch GlobalPost videos:
Featured: Special Projects
After the Fall:
20 years since the Berlin Wall came down
Life, Death and the Taliban:
Videos and stories
Study Abroad:
Students report from the road
Living in the Shadows:
An intimate look at China's migrant workers
A World of Trouble:
The global economy in 20 hotspots
Global Blogs:
Comments:
No Comments.
Login or Register to post comments