China launches green power revolution to catch up on west

Graeme · **Posted:** Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:30 pm

Quote:

China is planning a vast increase in its use of wind and solar power over the next decade and believes it can match Europe by 2020, producing a fifth of its energy needs from renewable sources, a senior Chinese official said today.

Zhang Xiaoqiang, vice-chairman of the of China's national development and reform commission, told the Guardian that Beijing would easily surpass current 2020 targets for the use of wind and solar power and was now contemplating targets that were more than three times higher.

guardian

Kristen · **Posted:** Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:18 am

You know what's always bugged me. This East vs. West label. Technically the world is circular. Is it a coincidence that West and White both start with a W?

pstarr · **Posted:** Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:44 am

Kristen wrote:

You know what's always bugged me. This East vs. West label. Technically the world is circular. Is it a coincidence that West and White both start with a W?

Maybe the current use dates back to the Cold War?

Or even before. 'Go West young man.' White Europeans could not expand East into Asia and then they found the Americas. So they went West and settled the "New World." So 'west' is associated with 'new' associated with 'better.' I don't like it either.

mike3 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:00 am **Posts:** 17

Kristen wrote:

You know what's always bugged me. This East vs. West label. Technically the world is circular. Is it a coincidence that West and White both start with a W?

Yes, Earth is a ball. So what we call the west and east is arbitrary and silly.

Is there some sort of racist thing in your post because you mention "white" or am I just paranoid? (Because in the "West" there are other "races" as well, you know.)

mike3 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:00 am **Posts:** 17

Graeme wrote:

China launches green power revolution to catch up on west

Quote:

China is planning a vast increase in its use of wind and solar power over the next decade and believes it can match Europe by 2020, producing a fifth of its energy needs from renewable sources, a senior Chinese official said today.

Zhang Xiaoqiang, vice-chairman of the of China's national development and reform commission, told the Guardian that Beijing would easily surpass current 2020 targets for the use of wind and solar power and was now contemplating targets that were more than three times higher.

guardian

Is it enough to make any serious lessening of the effects of Peak oil/gas etc. on China? Hmm...what's that other 4/5 coming from? How much of that is oil? What happens when oil costs like 3 times what it does now? As in 2020, we may be a good ways past the "Peak" of oil.

shyienemo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:45 am

green power revolution.
that's a must, yes!
lots of people using fuels have to figure out a new solution to the to-be-ended natural resources.
so, proactive brainstorming develops new and green power. Yes, just revolute it.

Jotapay · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:56 am

Will this revolution kill as many Chinese as the Cultural Revolution (60 million)?

mos6507 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:02 am

Jotapay wrote:

Will this revolution kill as many Chinese as the Cultural Revolution (60 million)?

How many people die each year erecting wind turbines? Oh, the horror.

shyienemo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:21 pm

Jotapay wrote:

Will this revolution kill as many Chinese as the Cultural Revolution (60 million)?

Well, it's totally different. The energy issue is not just a Chinese problem. It's global now. All countries need to make revolution, find new resources, and improve life quality.
We will never know the answer until we have tried to make some changes.

Ferretlover · **Posted:** Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:22 am

Sounds like they're catching up in some ways:

Quote:

Rising seas threaten Shanghai, other big cities Millions of people in coastal areas are vulnerable to flooding, catastrophes
SHANGHAI - This city of 20 million rose from the sea and grew into a modern showcase, with skyscrapers piercing the clouds, atop tidal flats fed by the mighty Yangtze River.
Now Shanghai's future depends on finding ways to prevent the same waters from reclaiming it. Global warming and melting glaciers and polar ice sheets are raising sea levels worldwide, leaving tens of millions of people in coastal areas and on low-lying islands vulnerable to flooding and other weather-related catastrophes. …
The sea is steadily advancing on Shanghai, tainting its freshwater supplies as it turns coastal land and groundwater salty, slowing drainage of the area's heavily polluted flood basin and eating away at the precious delta soils that form the city's foundations.
Planners are slow in addressing the threat, in the apparent belief they have time. Instead, Shanghai has thrown its energies into constructing billions of dollars worth of new infrastructure: new ports, bridges, airports, industrial zones, right on the coast. …

article
Sounds like they're catching up in some ways:

China launches green power revolution to catch up on west

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