COP28 climate summit: China is both world’s biggest polluter and leader in renewable energie

FRANCE 24 English

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00:00 From the Gobi desert to the Tibetan plateau, solar panels have taken over China's landscape

00:07 - almost as far as the eye can see.

00:12 The Asian giant is the undisputed superpower when it comes to solar energy.

00:18 With 80 percent of the world's production made here, their output dwarfs that of the

00:23 rest of the world combined.

00:25 And demand is still growing.

00:29 This factory churns out almost 45,000 parts a day, 24/7.

00:34 Most of the production line is now automated.

00:39 Each of these machines can produce up to 500 photovoltaic cells a day.

00:44 We used to need 30 people to produce that many.

00:50 In the five years Xu Xiuguo has been working here, the factory has installed 5G networks

00:55 and an AI system.

00:57 Xu is proud that his country is ahead of the game.

01:02 Can others compete with China?

01:05 No.

01:06 We have many talented workers and an abundance of silicon resources.

01:12 China's photovoltaic industry is the best in the world.

01:19 China is the world's leading producer and exporter, the result of political will and

01:24 colossal investment - 45 billion euros in 15 years, ten times more than Europe.

01:32 Even in this small village, the roofs are fitted with solar panels.

01:36 The electricity isn't used to power these homes, but is sold through a company that

01:41 pays money to the villagers.

01:44 Every year, with my two homes, I make around 400 yuan.

01:48 With that, I can pay all my electricity bills.

01:54 Beijing wants to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, but this goal is threatened by their

01:59 heavy reliance on coal.

02:01 On average, two new mines open every week in the country.

02:05 Added to this, the world's dirtiest fuel currently powers two-thirds of China's electricity grid.

02:11 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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