Summary:

This working paper investigates the recent surge in coal power project development in Guangdong Province, aiming to uncover the underlying policy logic and driving factors behind this expansion while critically assessing their rationality within the context of China's dual carbon goals. It compiles a comprehensive project-level inventory to track the progression of coal power units through their various development phases. It systematically analyzes official government documents, provincial energy plans, and project environmental impact reports to extract the publicly stated rationales for each project—such as boosting economic growth, ensuring electricity supply, providing grid peak-shaving for renewable integration, and optimizing plant structures. By cross-referencing these justifications with actual operational data and the potential of alternative flexibility resources, paper evaluates the true necessity and long-term feasibility of the new capacity. Finally, the working paper offers policy recommendations advocating for the utilization of existing units and the accelerated deployment of renewable energy and storage to achieve a cost-effective and low-carbon power transition.

Suggested citation:

Zhang, Xiaoli. (2023). CCNT Focus Issue: Analysis of Coal Power Progress and Driving Factors in Guangdong Province. Working Paper. Beijing: Institute for Global Decarbonization Progress (iGDP)

License:

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)