Is there a future where China uses this as leverage with the rest of the world to put sanctions on the US if we don't transition?
replies(8):
This is capitalism in action: solar is cheaper than anything else per kwh. The obsession with fossil in the West is due to the fossil fuel lobbies, not because of the rational market forces. China doesn't have that.
If you are trying to use American made panels near population centers in the Northeast or the Midwest, the economics become much more challenging.
It's simply a matter of will (or in the case of the US, lack thereof).
https://blog.gridstatus.io/caiso-beats-the-heat/
https://blog.gridstatus.io/caiso-batteries-apr-2024/
https://docs.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35097.pdf
https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/how-much-land-power-us...
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31072025/inside-clean-ene...
https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/solar-electricity-e...
https://electrek.co/2025/06/20/batteries-are-so-cheap-now-so...
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/26/there-is-one-clear-winn...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_China#...
And they onboarded more coal plants in 2024 than any time in the prev 10 years:
https://www.carbonbrief.org/chinas-construction-of-new-coal-...
US coal plant phase out tracking at https://coal.sierraclub.org/coal-plant-map and https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64604 | Europe at https://beyondfossilfuels.org/europes-coal-exit/
(existing coal is more expensive than new renewables and storage in the US and Europe, I cannot speak to the cost in China)
Which is a statistic missing the forest for the trees.
In 2025 the Chinese coal consumption has in absolute terms decreased while they have kept building.
New built renewables are able to both absorb all new demand and reduce coal usage.
Sure, it would be better to not build coal plants sitting idle and instead spend the money on renewables and storage.
Through selectively quoting facts you make it seem like China is expanding their coal usage which is incorrect.
