Wind could cut a third of China's emissions

China could cut its emissions by 30 percent in the next two decades if it switches to wind power to meet about half of its electricity demands, US study says.


China's energy needs are expected to double by 2030, but the country could reasonably meet half of those needs with wind, a study in the journal Science says.




Using meteorological data to assess the potential for wind power in China - world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide — the researchers also say wind could theoretically supply all of the giant's energy, though it only laid out the figures for meeting half its needs.



“The world is struggling with the question of how do you make the switch from carbon-rich fuels to something carbon-free,” lead author Michael McElroy, a professor of environmental studies at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said in a statement. “The real question for the globe is: What alternatives does China have?”



Coal currently supplies 80 percent of China's electricity, and hundreds of coal-fired power plants are built every year to keep pace with demand, but Beijing is also investing heavily in renewable energy.



It plans to build seven large wind-power bases over the next decade, and already ranks fourth in the world in terms of installed capacity, at 12.2 gigawatts — about equal to the energy produced by two dozen average-sized coal-fired plants.