A majority of turbines erected in China are small, with 600–850 kW turbines accounting for 80 percent of the market share. In 2006 the average size of turbines in China was 830 kW, compared to 1634 kW in Germany, 1634 kW in the United States, and 1100 kW in Spain. Today, the United States is developing 10 MW turbines, while China just tested 3 MW turbines.

Coal consistently contributes to over 75 percent of electricity in China (China Bureau of Statistics 2009). To meet its ever growing demands for electricity, China has seen rapid growth of coal-fired power generation. From 2003 to 2009 the country more than doubled its coal-fired generation capacity, making its fleet the largest in the world. However, the fuel consumption per unit of electricity generated during this period has steadily decreased. The use of supercritical/ultrasupercritical technology has significantly contributed to the improvement of energy efficiency.

Following the government’s lead in supporting CCS technology research activities, leading Chinese energy enterprises have been investing in CCS technology demonstration projects. Petro China, the largest national oil company, began building China’s first CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project at the Jilin Oil Field in Jilin Province in 2006. Two rival companies have plans to deploy plants with components of CCS technology in the next two years: GreenGen Co.’s IGCC plant with associated CCS plant, and Shenhua’s direct coal-to-liquids power plant with CO2 capture and storage.

This chart is based on WRI’s recent analysis of potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions under existing federal authorities and state actions through 2030.