https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/525135/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Stephen Chen,Victoria Bela Stephen Chen,Victoria Bela China has begun building the world’s first utility-scale power plant combining two emerging technologies: supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) generation and large-scale molten salt energy storage. The Ruitan project, under construction at a coal-fired power station in Yantai in eastern China’s Shandong province, is intended to demonstrate how combining these technologies can reduce energy wastage and improve the stability of the electrical grid. Electricity produced when demand is low is stored... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3370584/china-bets-molten-salt-and-co2-help-meet-its-power-needs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3370584/china-bets-molten-salt-and-co2-help-meet-its-power-needs Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:41:03 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang For the first time, China’s spending on research and development as a share of gross domestic product has surpassed the average for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members – a trend one analyst expects to continue as Beijing seeks to strengthen technological self-reliance amid intensifying global competition. R&D expenditure exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan (US$584.8 billion) in 2025, accounting for 2.8 per cent of GDP, Science and Technology Minister Yin Hejun said at a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369296/chinas-rd-spending-hits-record-28-gdp-beating-oecd-average-first-time https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369296/chinas-rd-spending-hits-record-28-gdp-beating-oecd-average-first-time Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:01:56 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen In the latest milestone for China’s heavy-duty gas turbine manufacturers, Shanghai Electric has secured a turnkey contract to deliver equipment to a power plant in Malaysia, giving it a foothold in a market dominated by established foreign players amid a global supply crunch. The state-owned conglomerate, based in the Chinese financial centre, hailed the deal reached earlier this month as evidence of the competitiveness of its integrated solutions and its capacity to design and manufacture... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:20:17 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh Hong Kong deserves credit for its first five-year plan, accompanied by a detailed policy address. The plan establishes a useful framework beyond the annual policy cycle. Precisely because this is an important first effort, it is worth asking what could make the framework even stronger. One striking omission is that the five-year plan never explicitly mentions climate change. This does not mean Hong Kong is failing to act. On the contrary, the plan and policy address contain many measures dealing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368261/hong-kong-lacks-climate-narrative-unify-its-efforts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368261/hong-kong-lacks-climate-narrative-unify-its-efforts Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Zhang Tong,Victoria Bela Zhang Tong,Victoria Bela Even as China installs new solar and wind power capacity faster than the rest of the world combined, it is setting new benchmarks for the technologies through innovation. This year alone, Chinese companies and researchers have generated the first electricity from high-altitude winds 4,000 metres above Earth, cleared the last hurdle to commercialising a cheaper and more efficient alternative to silicon solar panels, begun trials of the world’s most powerful floating and fixed-bottom offshore wind... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3366302/chinas-solar-wind-innovations-amid-rapid-green-power-buildout https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3366302/chinas-solar-wind-innovations-amid-rapid-green-power-buildout Fri, 04 Sep 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Solar power has overtaken coal as China’s largest source of installed power generation capacity for the first time, marking a landmark shift in the world’s largest energy market, according to government data. By the end of July, China’s installed photovoltaic capacity had reached 1,286 gigawatts, accounting for 31.5 per cent of the total, the National Energy Administration (NEA) reported on Tuesday. The agency called the milestone a “signature achievement” in China’s green and low-carbon energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365985/beyond-coal-chinas-installed-solar-power-capacity-crosses-historic-threshold https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365985/beyond-coal-chinas-installed-solar-power-capacity-crosses-historic-threshold Wed, 02 Sep 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao PetroChina, China’s largest oil and gas producer, has announced that it is gradually restoring operations at its Middle Eastern projects after the US-Israeli war in Iran severely disrupted global energy flows this year. On Monday, the company reported a 22 per cent jump in first-half net profit to 103.9 billion yuan (US$15.4 billion) for the six months ended June, as higher crude oil prices boosted earnings from its upstream operations while natural-gas operations offset weaker oil production... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365866/petrochinas-first-half-profit-jumps-22-higher-oil-prices-offset-iran-war-supply-hit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365866/petrochinas-first-half-profit-jumps-22-higher-oil-prices-offset-iran-war-supply-hit Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:23:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s commercial ⁠hub, is proposing ⁠to gradually restrict ⁠petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles from its downtown area from mid-2027, as part of a planned low-emission zone (LEZ), according to state-run Thanh Nien newspaper. Under the proposal, the ‌city would pilot the LEZ from July 2027 in its core downtown area and the new Thu Thiem urban area, covering roughly 930 hectares (2,300 acres), Thanh Nien reported, citing city authorities. From early 2029, the LEZ will expand... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3365307/vietnams-ho-chi-minh-city-plans-low-emission-zone-clear-downtown-air https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3365307/vietnams-ho-chi-minh-city-plans-low-emission-zone-clear-downtown-air Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:00:16 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings US soybean growers are “adapting” to a steep decline in China-bound exports by selling to third countries and the American biofuel sector, compensating enough to cause only a small drop in production, according to a top trade association’s chief economist. In November, Beijing committed to buy at least 25 million tonnes of American soybeans annually through 2028, as part of an agreement reached after China stopped the purchases during US President Donald Trump’s trade war in early 2025. But just... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3363731/fearing-deflated-china-demand-us-soybean-growers-pivot-new-buyers-and-biofuel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3363731/fearing-deflated-china-demand-us-soybean-growers-pivot-new-buyers-and-biofuel Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu When Francois Morin, China director at the World Nuclear Association – a leading international industry body – took a group of foreign nuclear engineers to a Shanghai Electric plant last year, the scale of production caught them off guard. Heavy machinery, from steam generators to reactor cores, was already assembled and ready for shipment to sites where construction had not even begun. The equipment towered over the delegates, many of whom were accustomed to supply chains back home that produce... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363550/china-building-nuclear-reactors-faster-west-can-it-keep-pace https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363550/china-building-nuclear-reactors-faster-west-can-it-keep-pace Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Solar is poised to overtake coal as China’s largest source of installed power capacity this year, as Beijing steps up its green transition with a renewed emphasis on efficiency, quality and orderly growth over sheer scale. Total installed solar capacity reached 1.27 billion kilowatts (kW) by the end of June and was projected to surpass coal before the end of the year, state-run People’s Daily reported on Wednesday, citing the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA). Solar power generation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362276/chinas-solar-surge-nears-historic-milestone-even-beijing-slams-brakes-sheer-scale https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362276/chinas-solar-surge-nears-historic-milestone-even-beijing-slams-brakes-sheer-scale Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China’s oil and gas sector is facing “enormous challenges” in boosting reserves and expanding production after achieving record-high output last year as part of Beijing’s energy security drive, according to a report released by the National Energy Administration (NEA). Total oil and gas production reached a new high of 420 million tonnes of oil equivalent last year, with crude oil output hitting a record 216 million tonnes, which the NEA said had “considerably enhanced self-reliance”. But the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361437/china-hits-record-oil-and-gas-output-so-why-it-warning-dual-squeeze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3361437/china-hits-record-oil-and-gas-output-so-why-it-warning-dual-squeeze Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:00:20 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s exports of green-energy and battery products to the United States have accelerated amid demand in America’s fast-expanding AI sector, as cooling trade tensions and energy-security fears linked to the Iran war boost global appetite for renewable-energy equipment. Energy-related products posted some of the strongest gains among Chinese exports to the US last month, according to the latest customs data. Exports of unassembled photovoltaic cells surged 346 per cent year on year to US$39.96... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3357935/chinas-green-exports-us-surge-ai-boom-iran-war-lift-demand https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3357935/chinas-green-exports-us-surge-ai-boom-iran-war-lift-demand Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:30:06 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma Beijing plans to increase electricity prices on nine energy-intensive sectors in a move to speed up the green transition and drive a new wave of industrial upgrading. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and four other ministries announced a three-year road map on Monday that pledged to promote energy-saving measures and cut carbon emissions across heavy industry, including the iron, steel, oil refining and aluminium sectors. The most direct measure is a power price increase... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3357297/china-raise-power-prices-energy-intensive-sectors-green-transition-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3357297/china-raise-power-prices-energy-intensive-sectors-green-transition-push Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:30:19 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong China Resources New Energy Holdings, the spin-off of a state-backed power producer, has smashed multiple records on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, as it prepares to become the biggest initial public offering (IPO) and the first so-called red-chip company to trade on the bourse. The wind and solar power producer, carved out of China Resources Power, planned to raise 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.6 billion) from yuan-denominated shares in Shenzhen, it said in an exchange statement on Thursday. It is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356694/china-resources-new-energys-us36-billion-ipo-smashes-records-shenzhen-exchange https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356694/china-resources-new-energys-us36-billion-ipo-smashes-records-shenzhen-exchange Thu, 11 Jun 2026 03:57:02 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China is expected to overtake the United States as the world’s nuclear power leader, as the AI boom and war in the Middle East renew a global push for reliable energy sources, according to a new report. While the US maintained the world’s largest operational fleet of nuclear reactors, China now accounted for nearly half of all those under construction globally and was expected to match American capacity within five years, Gavekal Technologies said on Monday. “By a wide margin, China will have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3356510/driven-ai-demand-china-track-pass-us-top-nuclear-energy-producer https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3356510/driven-ai-demand-china-track-pass-us-top-nuclear-energy-producer Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s contribution to global growth is underestimated while the yuan is positioned to emerge as a fundamentally strong global currency, according to a new study from a prominent Beijing-based think tank. Researchers from the China Finance 40 Forum (CF40) – comprising senior regulators and financial experts – said the country’s investment scale could be as much as 3.4 times that of the United States when measured by the volume of physical investment. The analysis, published in a note on Sunday,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355562/chinas-investment-driven-role-global-growth-underestimated-study-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355562/chinas-investment-driven-role-global-growth-underestimated-study-says Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang With victory in the global race to build artificial intelligence capacity heavily dependent on resilient power systems, China is urging domestic enterprises to launch pilot projects that integrate the cutting-edge technology into the energy sector. To support the plan, Beijing has released an official list of application scenarios ranging from smart grids to autonomous coal mines. Energy enterprises would be able to partner with artificial intelligence providers and jointly submit proposals for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355153/china-plans-embed-ai-energy-infrastructure-optimise-power-grid-efficiency https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355153/china-plans-embed-ai-energy-infrastructure-optimise-power-grid-efficiency Thu, 28 May 2026 08:14:19 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China Resources Power (CRP), one of the largest mainland power producers listed in Hong Kong, has received approval to spin off its renewable energy arm for a separate listing in Shenzhen, marking a key step in a years-long plan to tap capital markets amid strong demand for new energy. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s listing committee approved the proposed A-share offering of China Resources New Energy Holdings on April 28, according to a filing by CRP. The deal, however, still required... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3351785/china-resources-power-wins-shenzhen-nod-renewable-energy-units-listing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3351785/china-resources-power-wins-shenzhen-nod-renewable-energy-units-listing Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:15:10 +0000 SCMP Plus SCMP Plus This document was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.6-Plus, then checked and tweaked for accuracy by a South China Morning Post journalist. It is for reference only, and is not the official English version of the original Chinese document. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351317/explaining-chinas-new-carbon-emissions-reduction-plan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3351317/explaining-chinas-new-carbon-emissions-reduction-plan Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:34:34 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has released new guidelines to reduce carbon emissions across strategic sectors – including energy-intensive data centres – as Beijing pushes to secure its 2030 climate targets amid volatile energy prices triggered by the US-Israeli war in Iran. The 18-point document, issued by the ruling Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet, called on heavy industries – including steel, non-ferrous metals and chemicals – to boost energy efficiency and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3351131/china-targets-greener-ai-data-centres-heavy-industry-push-meet-2030-climate-goals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3351131/china-targets-greener-ai-data-centres-heavy-industry-push-meet-2030-climate-goals Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Beijing is putting its power strategy under the microscope as China navigates the impact of a shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that risks becoming a long-term economic liability. Calling energy security a pillar of national stability, Premier Li Qiang on Monday convened a high-level study session of the State Council, China’s Cabinet, according to Xinhua. The meeting, focused on coordinating energy security and the sector’s transformation, was the latest in a series of policy discussions... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3350896/china-confronts-middle-east-supply-shock-state-council-mulls-energy-strategy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3350896/china-confronts-middle-east-supply-shock-state-council-mulls-energy-strategy Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Industry estimates suggest that heavy-duty cargo traffic in China is on track to become nearly 100 per cent electric, a transition that could halve the country’s road transport oil consumption. Speaking at a forum on intelligent electric vehicle development in Beijing on April 11, Liang Linhe, chairman of Sany Truck – a subsidiary of the Changsha-headquartered multinational Sany Group – said China’s heavy truck sector could eventually be almost entirely electrified, although he did not put a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3350463/chinese-trucks-could-go-100-electric-halving-road-transport-oil-use-industry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3350463/chinese-trucks-could-go-100-electric-halving-road-transport-oil-use-industry Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s green energy transition is expanding from a domestic security priority into a potent geopolitical asset at a time of heightened global uncertainty, according to the latest official reading of the country’s 15th five-year plan. That shift has been tested in recent weeks by the US-Israeli war in Iran and Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz – a chokepoint for 20 per cent of global oil and gas supplies. While Tehran signalled it would reopen the strait on Tuesday under a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3349646/why-chinas-green-energy-strategy-may-shield-it-iran-war-oil-shock https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3349646/why-chinas-green-energy-strategy-may-shield-it-iran-war-oil-shock Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Global efforts to diversify energy sources are set to accelerate as the US-Israel conflict with Iran inflicts an unprecedented disruption on global supplies, analysts said, even as Washington and Tehran reportedly negotiate a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. While the two sides have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, they remain at odds over details of reopening the strategic waterway. Despite the promised pause in hostilities, the conflict has already dealt a massive blow to international energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3349391/global-pivot-renewables-seen-accelerating-hormuz-uncertainty-upends-energy-security https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3349391/global-pivot-renewables-seen-accelerating-hormuz-uncertainty-upends-energy-security Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China’s abundant renewable power and government support could bring a once prohibitively expensive green energy solution into the mainstream – hydrogen. Extensive access to low-cost solar and wind power could let the country produce huge quantities of hydrogen in an environmentally friendly and affordable manner. The government is also stoking demand for the zero-emission fuel, potentially creating incentives for investors to put money into the infrastructure needed for production and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/climate-and-energy/article/3348964/green-hydrogen-drive-may-help-china-reach-carbon-neutral-goal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/climate-and-energy/article/3348964/green-hydrogen-drive-may-help-china-reach-carbon-neutral-goal Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As global supply volatility intensifies, Premier Li Qiang has called for faster development of a “new-type power system” to accelerate the green transition and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sector. During a three-day visit to the southwestern province of Sichuan, Li stressed the need to expand green electricity supply and optimise the energy mix to bolster security and support economic growth. He urged market players to explore new grid architectures, improve system-wide... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3348764/premier-li-qiang-pushes-ai-powered-next-gen-energy-system-amid-global-shocks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3348764/premier-li-qiang-pushes-ai-powered-next-gen-energy-system-amid-global-shocks Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:10:42 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has vowed to refine its energy strategy and ramp up major engineering projects over the next five years, placing energy security at the heart of its new development blueprint. The National Energy Administration announced on Monday that it would introduce a new development framework this year, together with a series of sector-specific plans, as Beijing enters its latest five-year plan period. “The internal and external environment for building China’s new energy system is undergoing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3344485/chinas-new-energy-strategy-aims-shield-economy-shocks-and-meet-climate-targets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3344485/chinas-new-energy-strategy-aims-shield-economy-shocks-and-meet-climate-targets Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Zhang Tong,Dannie Peng Zhang Tong,Dannie Peng Running and cooling the data centres that power computer networks requires a lot of energy and water, and the world needs a lot more of them with the roll-out of artificial intelligence (AI). What if they could be powered and cooled more sustainably – installed deep underwater, placed high in the mountains, or fired into space where solar power is free and limitless? China has done all three, and it’s just getting started. Five years after Microsoft abandoned an experimental underwater data... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3343446/sea-and-space-china-makes-ai-data-centres-more-sustainable https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3343446/sea-and-space-china-makes-ai-data-centres-more-sustainable Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:25:07 +0000