50% of China’s total primary-energy consumption will be from renewables by 2050.
The prediction comes from DU Xiangwan, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and one of the country’s leading experts.
He was speaking at the 2018 Renewable Energy Seminar sponsored by the China Renewable Energy Society and the International Copper Association.
China has been setting a fast pace on clean energy. During the first half of 2018, the hydro, nuclear, wind, solar and other nonfossil energy power systems generated over a quarter of China’s overall power supply.
It’s a standout globally as well. According to BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy, China contributed 36% of renewable-energy growth worldwide in 2017, making it the world’s strongest driver in renewable-energy development.
The action is being fuelled by the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan on Renewable Energy Development. Launched in 2017 by the National Energy Administration issued, the plan underpins new investment of 2.5 trillion yuan on renewable energy.
China’s lead is expected to be a huge boon for copper consumption. According to the ICA, renewable power generators use 8 to 12 times more copper than traditional generators. For example, a wind power generator uses 2.5 to 6 tonnes of copper per megawatt, while a solar power generator uses 4 tonnes of copper per megawatt.
More detail: http://copperalliance.org/2018/08/27/renewable-energy-a-sustainable-driver-of-the-copper-industry/