Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Renewable Energy Development in East China

  • Regional Renewable Energy (China) (K Lo, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The story of sustainable energies has long been narrated in the context of advanced economies. Many pioneering European states, for instance, have admittedly set examples for the followers in the renewable energy sector. However, in recent years, due to a series of regulations and plans formulated by both of the central and local Chinese states, the rapid expansion of renewable energy has obtained certain positive outcomes and passes beyond Europe in a number of renewable energy fields.

Summary

The goal of this paper is to review the recent academic contributions by focusing on how the assemble of state managers, business practitioners and manufacturing entrepreneurs in eastern market of China has enabled the rapid growth of the non-hydro renewable energy sector. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of the regional development of the sector, the potential barriers and commercial challenges that hindered the future growth of the offshore wind power and distributed solar energy will also be investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Distributed PV refers to a particular type of solar energy installation with the characteristics of self-construction and self-sponsorship. Their installation in a vast number of towns and rural areas where various buildings and public facilities may be available for usage has been encouraged.

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance, •• Of major importance

  1. Lewis JI. Green innovation in China: China’s wind power industry and the global transition to a low-carbon economy. New York: Columbia University Press; 2013.

  2. Mathews JA, Tan H. China’s renewable energy revolution. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan; 2015.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  3. •• Gallagher KS. The globalization of clean energy technology: lessons from China. Cambridge: MIT Press; 2014. Excellent study demonstrating how international and Chinese firms have contributed to global innovation in the solar manufacturing sector

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hong L, Zhou N, Fridley D, Raczkowski C. Assessment of China’s renewable energy contribution during the 12th five year plan. Energy Policy. 2013;62:1533–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Dent CM. Renewable energy in East Asia: towards a new developmentalism. London: Routledge; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Toke DD. Ecological modernisation and renewable energy. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan; 2011.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. Shen W, Power M. Africa and the export of China’s clean energy revolution. Third World Q. 2016; doi:10.1080/01436597.2016.1199262.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lo K. A critical review of China’s rapidly developing renewable energy and energy efficiency policies. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2014;29:508–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. • Mah DN-Y, Hills P. Collaborative governance for technological innovation: a comparative case study of wind energy in Xinjiang, Shanghai, and Guangdong. Environ Plan C Gov Policy. 2014;32:509–29. Important study that provides a detailed analysis of wind power innovation across various administrative units within China

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Radzi A, Droege P. Latest perspectives on global renewable energy policies. Curr Sustain Energy Rep. 2014;1:85–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Li C, Shi H, Cao Y, Wang J, Kuang Y, Tan Y, Wei J. Comprehensive review of renewable energy curtailment and avoidance: a specific example in China. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2015;41:1067–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Luo G, Li Y, Tang W, Wei X. Wind curtailment of China’s wind power operation: evolution, causes and solutions. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2016;53:1190–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chen GC. The forging of state-led ecological modernisation: renewable energy in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, China. China Int J. 2016;14:23–43.

  14. Wang Q, Peng L, M’ikiugu MM, Kinoshita I, Zhao Z. Key factors for renewable energy promotion and its sustainability values in rural areas: findings from Japanese and Chinese case studies. Int Rev Spat Plan Sustain Dev. 2015;3:56–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Wang Y, Luo G, Guo Y. Why is there overcapacity in China’s PV industry in its early growth stage? Renew Energy. 2014;72:188–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sun B, Yu Y, Qin C. Should China focus on the distributed development of wind and solar photovoltaic power generation? A comparative study. Appl Energy. 2017;185(Part 1):421–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Chen GC. Governing sustainable energies in China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan; 2016.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  18. Karltorp K, Guo S, Sandén BA. Handling financial resource mobilisation in technological innovation systems—the case of Chinese wind power. J Clean Prod. 2017;142(Part 4):3872–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Da Z, Xiliang Z, Jiankun H, Qimin C. Offshore wind energy development in China: current status and future perspective. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2011;15:4673–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wu J, Wang Z-X, Wang G-Q. The key technologies and development of offshore wind farm in China. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2014;34:453–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Gosens J, Lu Y. Prospects for global market expansion of China’s wind turbine manufacturing industry. Energy Policy. 2014;67:301–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Gang C. China’s low-carbon electricity strategy: a comparison of national approaches to promote different non-fossil fuels. China Int J. 2016;14:1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Zhang F, Deng H, Margolis R, Su J. Analysis of distributed-generation photovoltaic deployment, installation time and cost, market barriers, and policies in China. Energy Policy. 2015;81:43–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Yuan J, Sun S, Zhang W, Xiong M. The economy of distributed PV in China. Energy. 2014;78:939–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Li Y, Liao S, Rao Z, Liu G. A dynamic assessment based feasibility study of concentrating solar power in China. Renew Energy. 2014;69:34–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Chen HH, Lee AHI, Chen S. Strategic policy to select suitable intermediaries for innovation to promote PV solar energy industry in China. Appl Energy. 2014;115:429–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Wu C-Y, Mathews JA. Knowledge flows in the solar photovoltaic industry: insights from patenting by Taiwan, Korea, and China. Res Policy. 2012;41:524–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Li Y, Nie D, Zhao X, Li Y. Market structure and performance: an empirical study of the Chinese solar cell industry. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2017;70:78–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Nahm J, Steinfeld ES. Scale-up nation: China’s specialization in innovative manufacturing. World Dev. 2014;54:288–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Lewis J. Technology acquisition and innovation in the developing world: wind turbine development in China and India. Stud Comp Int Dev SCID. 2007;42:208–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Nee V, Opper S. Capitalism from below: markets and institutional change in China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 2012.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  32. Lewis JI. The rise of renewable energy protectionism: emerging trade conflicts and implications for low carbon development. Glob Environ Polit. 2014;14:10–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Lachapelle E, MacNeil R, Paterson M. The political economy of decarbonisation: from green energy “race” to green “division of labour”. New Polit Econ. 2016; doi:10.1080/13563467.2017.1240669.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Zhang F, Gallagher KS. Innovation and technology transfer through global value chains: evidence from China’s PV industry. Energy Policy. 2016;94:191–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Lema R, Lema A. Technology transfer? The rise of China and India in green technology sectors. Innov Dev. 2012;2:23–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Yip GS, McKern B. China’s next strategic advantage: from imitation to innovation. Cambridge: MIT Press; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Mathews JA. Latecomer strategies for catching-up: the cases of renewable energies and the LED programme. Int J Technol Learn Innov Dev. 2007;1:34–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Mathews JA, Tan H. Economics: manufacture renewables to build energy security. Nature. 2014;513:166–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Lema R, Sagar A, Zhou Y. Convergence or divergence? Wind power innovation paths in Europe and Asia. Sci Public Policy. 2015;43(3):400–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Xu R. Characteristics and prospective of China’s PV development route: based on data of world PV industry 2000–2010. Renew Sust Energ Rev. 2016;56:1032–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Chen G. From mercantile strategy to domestic demand stimulation: changes in China’s solar PV subsidies. Asia Pac Bus Rev. 2015;21:96–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. China National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC). The renewable energy industry development report 2015 (in Chinese). Beijing: China Economic Press; 2015. p. 85.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Sun H, Zhi Q, Wang Y, Yao Q, Su J. China’s solar photovoltaic industry development: the status quo, problems and approaches. Appl Energy. 2014;118:221–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Kennedy AB. Slouching tiger, roaring dragon: comparing India and China as late innovators. Rev Int Polit Econ. 2016;23:65–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Aken TV, Lewis OA. The political economy of noncompliance in China: the case of industrial energy policy. J Contemp China. 2015;24:798–822.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Mathews JA, Tan H. Energy: China leads the way on renewables. Nature. 2014;508:319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Gosens J. Biopower from direct firing of crop and forestry residues in China: a review of developments and investment outlook. Biomass Bioenergy. 2015;73:110–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Lo A. Carbon trading in China: environmental discourse and politics. New York: Palgrave Macmillan; 2016.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  49. Green F, Stern N. China’s changing economy: implications for its carbon dioxide emissions. Clim Policy. 2016; doi:10.1080/14693062.2016.1156515.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Toke D. China’s role in reducing carbon emissions: the stabilisation of energy consumption and the deployment of renewable energy. London: Routledge; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geoffrey C. Chen.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Geoffrey C. Chen declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Regional Renewable Energy (China)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, G.C. Renewable Energy Development in East China. Curr Sustainable Renewable Energy Rep 4, 33–37 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40518-017-0067-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40518-017-0067-3

Keywords

Navigation