China's renewable energy development: policy, industry and business perspectives

Abstract

China has been at the forefront of the recent global expansion of renewable energy (RE) activity. This study examines how the country has achieved its position as the world's largest producer and exporter of RE products, and biggest power generator from renewables. More specifically, it explores the main motives driving RE development in China, how this is embedded in broader new development thinking on realising ‘ecological civilization’ goals, evolving government policies on strategic planning on renewables and the complex multi-layered landscape of China's RE business where various types of state-owned enterprises collaborate and compete among each other alongside a now large number of private companies, especially in equipment manufacturing.