China's solar power capacity has overtaken coal for the first time, marking a major milestone in the country's rapid expansion of renewable energy.
China had about 1,288 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity at the end of July, compared with 1,285 GW of coal-fired capacity, according to figures from the country's energy administration reported by the South China Morning Post.
The milestone could have major implications for global efforts to tackle climate change: China is the world's largest annual greenhouse gas emitter, accounting for around 30% of global planet-warming emissions. If its rapid expansion of renewable energy begins to displace coal-fired power — one of the country's primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions — the impact could extend well beyond Chinese borders.
"China reaching around 1,288 GW of ...
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